In-Vehicle Cell Phone Use - Assessing Accident Risk

Mobile phone use in motor vehicles has increased at amotor vehicle. In light of the ongoing research for, and
remarkable rate over the past 15 years. Yet it isby, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
undeniable that utilizing a cell phone while driving can( we should at least consider their policy on using cell
affect driver performance as it relates to the overallphones while driving that states "The primary
safe operation of a vehicle. There are a number ofresponsibility of the driver is to operate a motor vehicle
things to consider in deciding whether the trade off insafely. The task of driving requires full attention and
convenience is worth the potential risks associatedfocus. Cell phone use can distract drivers from this
with the distraction created by a cell phone. Given thetask, risking harm to themselves and others. Therefore,
fact that the individual driver (and/or business owner)the safest course of action is to refrain from using a
ultimately pays for the resulting consequencescell phone while driving."
associated with an auto or truck accident (financial,Source: Cellular Telecommunications & Internet
emotional and physical lose); it is prudent to seek outAssociation (CTIA)
relevant and reliable information in making a decision. InAccording to the CTIA, there are currently more than
doing so, consider the source, as well as the possible218 million subscribed cell phone users as of August
motivation behind the information provider.2006 (compared to some 4.3 million in 1990). Based on
Source: US Legislationthe extraordinary growth of cellular phone industry and
In the United States, there are currently no federalthe CTIA's advisory role, it may be of value to think
laws prohibiting driving while using a cell phone. In anabout their point of view on this topic. In doing so, you
earnest attempt to find a solution, some states (Newmight consider a document found on the CTIA's web
Jersey, New York, the District of Columbia,site, entitled "SafeDrivingTalkingPoints2" (created June
Connecticut and pending in California) have passed6, 2006) that states "But for some reason, legislative
laws barring hand-held cell phone use while driving.efforts to prevent driver distractions have been
Typical fines range from $50 to $100 for driversnarrowly focused on wireless phone use. According to
caught using a hand-held device. While thesegovernment statistics and respected research studies,
lawmakers have the public's best interest at heart bythis approach is well off point." Consider that, there are
levying fines, not all entities weighing in on this subjectmore than 220 million vehicles on the road and a similar
are likely to have the same incentive.number of cell phones subscribers. Based on the
Source: Manufacturer Researchamount of time customers might potentially spend
As the result of an independent study (found on theirusing their cell phones in vehicles, we would hope to
web site in the form of a press release), Plantronics, afind the CTIA an objective source. Given the
manufacturer of headsets states, "71% of driversmagnitude of the revenue at stake, is a greater
steer more accurately when using a headset with adegree of scrutiny in order here? Would the CTIA hold
mobile phone". They point out that the study was toa different position if they were liable, in part, for
discover if a person using a mobile phone improvesdistracted vehicle accidents?
driving if he or she uses a headset. Stephen Wilcox,Source: Leading Universities & Independent
Ph.D., Principal of Design Science (independentResearchers
research firm) states, "Driving with both hands on theWhile there are a number of valuable studies on this
wheel is the safest option for motorists who usesubject, the following are extensive research projects
mobile phones, and headsets are tools to enable thatprovided by highly accredited organizations:
improvement." Considering the source, is this statement1) Virginia Tech Transportation Institute researchers
characteristic of scientific research? Is it objective andand the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
free of marketing bias? Could it confuse individuals into(NHTSA) tracked 100 cars and their drivers for a year;
thinking that cell phones are safe as long as you arethey discovered that talking on cell phones caused
hands-free? Additionally, found toward the end of themore crashes, near-crashes and other incidents than
press release, is a comment by a senior director ofother distractions (100-Car Naturalistic Driving Study,
product marketing. Beth Johnson states, "It's importantApril 2006).
to keep in mind that our study is not intended to2) University of Utah researchers determined that
address the issue of whether or not it is safe to talkmotorists on the blood-alcohol threshold of being legally
on a mobile phone while driving, but rather what typedrunk were able to drive better than sober cell phone
of technology is safest for drivers to use while talkingusing drivers. A key researcher and author in this field,
on their mobile phones". They also state their intent isPsychology Professor David Strayer notes, "Just like
to "educate drivers on options for using mobile phonesyou put yourself and other people at risk when you
comfortably and responsibly while driving". Given thatdrive drunk, you put yourself and others at risk when
the goal is safety education, is this researchyou use a cell phone and drive. The level of impairment
responsibly comprehensive to consider it a relevantis very similar." Also, consider they found motorists to
and reliable source?be more accident-prone and slower to react when
Surely, as you go about your own assessment thetalking on cellular telephones. It did not matter if it was
idea of freeing up both hands to control the steeringhands-free either because of "inattention blindness", a
wheel is a logical consideration. If a driver focusessyndrome that makes a driver less able to process
exclusively on driving the vehicle, then two hands onvisual information.
the wheel is better than one. Unfortunately, this3) The George Institute for International Health
seemingly sensible approach can lead to a false sense(University of Sydney, Australia), Insurance Institute for
of driver security (possibly increasing crash risk) asHighway Safety (Arlington, Virginia) and Injury
noted in various reports ( by the Crash InvestigationResearch Centre, University of Western Australia
Team at Virginia Commonwealth University Center for(Crawley Australia) jointly presented research entitled
Public Safety. Their findings illustrated that the cognitive"Role of mobile phones in motor vehicle crashes
resources required to carry on a phone conversationresulting in hospital attendance: a case-crossover
are equivalent to those necessary to drive. This is anstudy". The research consisted of 456 drivers aged 17
important concern given VCU's history ofyears who owned or used mobile phones and had
transportation safety research, as well as otherbeen involved in road crashes requiring hospital
studies concluding this behavior (carrying on a phoneattendance between April 2002 and July 2004. They
conversation while driving), reduces both driver reactionconcluded that a driver who uses a mobile phone (up
time and driver attentiveness, especially as they relateto 10 minutes prior to a crash) has a four times higher
to braking.likelihood of crashing and an increased likelihood of a
Unlike a computer, humans have a limited capacity tocrash resulting in injury. Using a hands-free phone is not
process simultaneous information. If the software onany safer.
your computer seems to slow down, you mightEliminate the Risk & Keep the Benefits
consider increasing the memory or processor speedIf you are the head of a household, a guardian or the
to compensate for delays resulting from an overload inparent of a less experienced driver, your decision to
computing capacity. We as humans have a similarallow any in-vehicle cell phone use carries a major
limitation when it comes to processing too muchemotional and financial risk. If you are a fleet manager
information, but unlike computers, our resources areor you employ individuals that conduct work-related
somewhat fixed. Given the inherent delays in our ownconversations while driving, the risk of liability for
thought response time when faced with increaseddistracted accidents could fall on you. Strongly consider
load factors, is it practical or safe to hold a cell phonethe legal ramifications for the careless operation of an
conversation while driving a motor vehicle?employee-owned or company-supplied vehicle before
Source: Government Transportation Safety Researchdeciding to ignore the inherent danger created by a
The US government employs many of the topmajor cognitive distraction such as a cell phone.
transportation safety experts and funds a majorObviously, there are no easy or certain solutions
portion of the world's accident prevention research.without sacrifice of convenience. Remember that the
Given the effects traffic accidents and relatedbenefit of having a cell phone (emergency use and
congestion have on US productivity, accident reductiontimes when you are not operating a vehicle) is not lost
is a top priority. Considering that distracted drivingjust because it remains off while driving. If you consider
accounted for at least 6.4 percent of crash fatalities inthe facts presented by relevant and reliable sources, it
2004 (U.S. Department of Transportation), manyreally is not a matter of a trade off after all, but an
researchers are looking closely at the distinguishingopportunity to prevent an accident or possibly a
distraction caused by cell phone use in vehicles.fatality. In the mean time, until it is proven otherwise,
Furthermore, of the many potential distractions in athink about instigating a life saving strategy NOW for
vehicle, cell phones are considered equally or morethe safe use of cell phones - limit yourself, loved ones
dangerous than the other known distractions such asand employees to use (personal and business) only
eating, reading a map or grooming while operating awhen the vehicle is in park!