What Are the Dangers of Driving While Talking on a Cell Phone?
Studies done within the last five years show that drivers who are talking on their cell phones have a significantly slower response time than those who don't have a cell phone in hand. In the "Drivers on Cell Phones Kill Thousands, Snarl Traffic" article published on the LiveScience website in 2005, University of Utah psychology professor David Strayer says, "If you put a 20-year-old driver behind the wheel with a cell phone, their reaction times are the same as a 70-year-old driver who is not using a cell phone." The same article, from the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, says, "Cell phone distraction causes 2,600 deaths and 330,000 injuries in the United States every year."
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Slower Reflexes
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When you are talking on the phone while driving, chances are you have one hand holding your phone to your ear. Having only one hand on the wheel dramatically slows down your reflexes to act if, for example, the person in the car in front of you suddenly applies his brakes.
Lessened Alertness
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In addition to slower reflexes, much of your attention automatically becomes focused on your conversation, instead of on road signs and traffic lights, and preparing for sudden swerves to avoid hitting other cars or roadkill, both of which could significantly damage your car. This means the chances are higher that you'll run a red light or fail to bring your vehicle to a complete stop at a stop sign before crossing an intersection. In these instances, you become a hazard not only to yourself but to drivers (and in some cases, pedestrians) around you.
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Making Sudden Maneuvers
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Should you encounter a situation where you have to make an unexpected swerve to avoid hitting the vehicle in front of you, there is the chance you will have to drop your phone in order to maneuver the wheel with both hands. This is dangerous because, when dropped with such force, your phone will most likely bounce, then fall to the floorboard of your car, which is near your gas or brake pedal. If you cannot quickly move your phone from under the pedals using your feet, you are further endangering yourself and other drivers.
Suggestions for Going Hands-Free
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If you must be on your phone, consider investing in a headset that is compatible with your cell phone. A headset is a device that you hook around the top of your ear, with the earpiece gently tapped against your ear. The device has a thin wire jack that you plug into your phone. You can place your phone in your cup holder or on your passenger seat. Wearing a headset allows you to keep both hands on the wheel.
Certain phones are not compatible with headsets. For these phones, purchasing a Bluetooth is a beneficial option. The Bluetooth is a universal wireless device that works like a headset. After you program the Bluetooth into you phone, you simply clip the Bluetooth to your ear so you can drive with both hands on the wheel.
If you cannot afford a Bluetooth, your best option may be to put your cell phone on the speaker phone setting before you start driving. You will still have to look down briefly to push "Send" when a call comes in, but the time focused on answering your phone is significantly less.
Cell Phone Driving Laws
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In 2008, California, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, Oregon and Washington, D.C., implemented laws prohibiting people from talking on their cell phones without a headset while driving. If you are unsure of what the driving laws are for the state you live in, take a look at this website: www.ghsa.org/html/stateinfo/laws/cellphone_laws.html. The Governors Highway Safety Association provides specific information published in 2009 about laws enforced within each of the 50 United States, plus Washington D.C. and the Virgin Islands.
Bottom Line
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No call is more important than your personal safety on the road. Therefore, it may be best just to wait and return calls after you've reached your destination.
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