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More evidence that cell phones and driving don’t mix
December 4th, 2008, 7:00 am · 27 Comments · posted by Courtney Perkes
We’ve all seen the distracted driver gabbing away on a cell phone, hence a wave of hands-free driving laws. But what about drivers talking with their passengers?
Interesting new research shows the difference between those two kinds of in-car conversations. University of Utah researchers tested 96 drivers in a simulated Crown Victoria, pictured at left. They were told to drive eight miles on the freeway before exiting at a rest stop. Drivers either chatted on the phone with a headset or talked with a passenger in the front seat.
The cell phone talkers missed their exits half the time. Virtually none of the in-person talkers did, though sometimes their passenger helped them navigate. Why such a difference? Drivers and passengers had safer conversations because they were both experiencing the same environment. They talked more about traffic. Drivers spoke less frequently and with less complexity when traffic increased. Passengers responded to changing driving conditions by quieting down when the driver needed to concentrate.
So what might come of this? Researcher David Strayer, a psychology professor, said via email, “Translating the research into public policy is a slow process, but there does appear to be movement in that direction.”
Meanwhile, drivers in Orange County are still getting used to the new law that requires drivers to use hands-free devices instead of holding their phones to their ears.
Since the law went into effect in July, the California Highway Patrol has doled out 5,634 citations for hands-free violations in its southern border district, which includes Orange, San Diego and parts of Riverside and Imperial counties. (Those numbers track tickets given out through Nov. 17) Statewide, CHP officers have handed out 34,925 citations during the same period.
The penalty isn’t cheap, either. The $20 fine for violating the hands-free cell phone law is actually $90, after various added assessments, our pal Jim Radcliffe at Honk reported.
Here’s a monthly breakdown for Orange County’s region and the state. (November numbers only reflect citations issued through Nov. 17.)
| Month | Region | State |
|---|---|---|
| July | 1,071 | 7,779 |
| August | 1,096 | 7,079 |
| Sept. | 1,274 | 7,847 |
| October | 1,591 | 9,061 |
| November | 602 | 3,159 |
| Total | 5,634 | 34,925 |
Check out what the American Medical Association wants to do about texting while driving here.
Will this research change your behavior? Vote below.
Other posts:
- Doctors prescribe no texting while driving
- Free Medicare help in Little Saigon
- FDA partners with WebMD
- Ask A Doctor: Beware of “minimally invasive” moniker
27 Comments
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Ah, cell phones will never make it in this world.
Talking to people who aren’t physically there is still distracting? Ya don’t say!
This demonstrates why the hands-free law is a ridiculous revenue scam. People are no safer than when they held their cell-phones while driving (and studies proved this long ago). It’s just another excuse to pull someone over and shake them down.
Can I get a ticket for other distractions such as listening to the radio, screaming kids in the backseat, making mental grocery lists?
Not sure what the “hands free” law accomplished anyway. I see just as many people talking on cellphones while driving as I did before the law went into effect. The only difference now is that when you look at them they give you the finger!
All of these crimes that have NO VICTIM are all for REVENUE. If you do hit and hurt someone (which happens no matter what laws) and it is your fault, you need to be held responsible then, not for what “might” happen.
You let them take something small thinking it is ok, then they take more and more. Read what the Supreme Court has to say on your right to travel.
Before cell phones what did you people do?
Please, tell me, all of you people who need or really, really must talk on the phone while driving, who and what do you talk about?
Is it really that important? PLEASE, just get off the phone. Period!
I still see it today, people trying to dial their cell phones, using a hand! It’s outrageous! Isn’t the law “HANDS FREE?”
This morning I actually saw a man SHAVING! I had to slow up and stare and laugh and clapped my hands at him. It makes me sick that I have to keep paying my high Insurance Payments only to fund other people’s accidents.
You don’t EVER have to worry about me EVER hitting you, but I have to constantly worry about others! When is the law going to change, 3 times you cause an accident your driving privileges are taken away for 10 YEARS, the 4th time for good, then maybe that will make the bad drivers think before they break the laws. AND, if a driver has driven for 20 years without any accidents, they don’t have to pay for insurance anymore!
Insurance, bah, what a rip off for me!
I am really sick of it, I better stop now………..
Why do you need to drive and talk on the cell phone anyway? You’re really not important, although you like to pretend you are and that’s why you look around to see if people are looking at you while you’re talking on the phone. Everything that you say on the cell phone while driving can wait to be said when you are on a land line. Stop pretending like cell phones make you cool. Maybe that was the case in the 80’s when they were new and only the rich had them. Now, any schmuck can get one. So ladies, please, put the phone down. You’re not in a reality TV show and there are no cameras trained on you. Guys, put the phone down. No matter how hard you try, you’re not an important CEO who is making billion dollar deals on your phone.
So victimless crimes shouldn’t be crimes? Like drug possession for personal use and prostitution?
I have a bluetooth, and I use it while driving not to have a conversation, but to call my kids and let them know I am stuck in traffic and will be late. Or their dad to say “hey, I am stuck in traffic and cannot make it to the kids or make dinner. Pick up kids and dinner”.
As for this study I am surprised. I have a harder time driving when someone is in the seat next to me. I hate driving with anyone other than me in the fron seat.
Whats worse than seeing someone drive talking on their cell phone? Watching people walk around talking on those god-awful bluetooth head and ear sets. They scream for attention , while in reality, most of them are losers.
This is really interesting. Makes sense, though.
Although, I’ll still miss the exit when I’m talking to a person in the passenger seat. But that’s probably just me.
This is a area that calls for discrimination based on genetic makeup. Women are multi taskers by nature and should be able to talk on their cell phones. Men are not and it is hard for them to do even two things at once, at least the men I know are like this….so I’m for cell phone use for women ONLY while driving.
Actually, it is a big mistake to prevent the use of cell-phones while driving through the legal system. Instead, it should be prevented through TECHNOLOGY!
That technology exists now! In fact, part of this technology already exists within the electronics of most newer cell-phones; it is called “GPS” (Global Positioning System). This built-in system can pin-point your location on Earth using Longitudinal/latitudinal coordinates (in “degrees”, “minutes”, and “seconds” units of angular measurement) from signals your cell-phone receives from the many satelites orbiting the Earth.
Now, if we combine that GPS (already in your cell-phone) with a computer system, it can be programmed to disconnect any call you are on when your vehicle exceeds a specifically pre-programmed “threshold” speed value, or prevents you from initiating a call, or receiving any calls. This threshold speed could be 10 MPH, as an example, so that you can still talk on your phone while walking or jogging, but not when driving at normal driving speeds of 15 to 70 MPH.
The GPS/computer system would calculate your moving speed by taking a number of “positional” readings per second, then calculating the “change-of-position” per second (that is, change of longitudinal and latitudinal positions, in angles, per second.
This idea would positively prevent the making of calls, receiving of calls, and/or continuing on an existing connection while driving at speeds over 10 MPH, WITHOUT the need for police officers, citation issues or laws forbidding their use while driving! Technology will do the ‘work” for us, and extremely efficiently, at that!!!
I don’t see anyone using hands free anyhow. I feel silly for spending $80 on a bluetooth so I could be legal when no one else is.
If it doesn’t matter, then repeal the stupid law.
Case closed.
I would love it if I never got a call while in my car, but alas, there is no hiding from my family who always seems to need me for something. I miss the good old days when I actually had a whole 20 minutes to myself during my commute without having to talk to anyone else. My family actually gets very angry if I miss one of their calls so yes, I always drive with my hands free ear bud. Cell phones are just more of the instant microwave society’s addition to instant gratification. God forbid they should have to wait until you got home to talk to you, LOL.
Okay, I hear and accept the demonizing of Cell Phones in cars, and putting on your make up etc. But let’s consider other things on the list that are not mentioned for whatever reason: How about people searching for a radio station, or fumbling witha CD changer or tape ? How about those who are in deep conversations with other riders ? How about mothers who have infants in the car that are crying uncontrollably ? Do you think any of those are LESS distracting than a cell phone ? Cell phones are the target now because it is PC to attack cell phones. I suspect that the next will be smokers; it will be illegal to lite up a cigarette or cigar while driving…. hey, you could have an accident and kill someone if a hot ember dropped in your lap !
Since the law passed about cell phones in the car, I have had countless number of times where someone was doing one of the above mentioned activities and almost ran into someone.
Should we outlaw all of the above activities while driving ?
Just my opinion
The entire reason for the law is so that cell phone companies can make money selling hands free devices and government can make revenue from ticketing those not using hands free devices. The law does not make the roads any safer.
Is smoking crack behind the wheel distracting? I sure hope not. I love to smoke some crack, then chat on the phone while driving.
So, 10yrsafter you say you won’t EVER hit us… but when you’re slowing up, laughing and CLAPPING (can you clap while keeping both hands on the wheel??)… you’re not endangering anyone when you are being distracted by others’ foolishness????
I have never owned a cell phone. What did we do 10 - 12 years ago with no cell phones? We survived.. and look, I am STILL alive. Don’t drink and drive (you may die or kill someone). Don’t text and drive, it may have the same consequence. People who have cell phones are the ones who need it the least. The people who use those cell phones while driving have a very low IQ..that means YOUR DUMB.
When you’re driving a car, you should be 100% focused on that activity. There are certain situations, like having a crying baby in the car, that can’t be avoided. Otherwise, you should arrange your CDs, radio stations, personal hygiene and other miscellaneous activities before you leave your driveway. What if we let bus drivers and train conductors use cell phones while operating their vehicles? Oh, I guess we know what happens with train conductors. I see people texting while they’re driving. The other day a guy slowed down to 20 mph on the freeway in front of me because he was texting. I honked my horn at him and it was like he came out of a fog. Stupid! Whatever it is it can wait until you get where you’re going.
“researchers tested 96 drivers in a simulated Crown Victoria,”
This proves you should NEVER use a cell phone while doing SIMULATED driving.
It’s funny, I actually miss the exit WAY more often when someone’s in the car with me, just ask my friends!
While I think that “hands free” devices are not a bad idea, they are clearly not the solution to distracted drivers. Even a driver in a car alone with no phone can drift off in their mind and lose track of what’s going on around them. Ever get home from work and wonder how you there? As for having things in your hands…probably not great, but if they’re really gonna say that’s the problem then they need to outlaw smoking, eating, etc. also while driving. (I’d starve!)
I think if they want something good to come out of the hands free law, they would have to start by making sure that everyone had access to a quality bluetooth device that actually works, and cell phones that have voice activated controls that actually work, and all without costing and arm and a leg! Don’t see that happening.
Oh and to “10YRSAFTER”: I drove for 16 years without causing an accident of any kind…then one day a moth flew into my eye while I was driving…took a few seconds to get it out…I hit a parked car. Weird. ANYTHING can happen, so you might want to step down off your soapbox before you cause an accident.
The problem isn’t necessarily the cell phone, it’s talking that is dangerous. Unfortunately, we can’t outlaw conversation in a vehicle.
Study only shows that it’s not cell phones that’s the problem: it’s the people using them. Obviously, if you’re heading or are in a complex traffic situation, you hold off on the cell phone conversation until you’re in the clear. Some people just like to talk through it and that’s where accidents happen. It doesn’t matter if it’s in-person or over the phone. Just use a little common sense.
As for all those people hating on people who talk on their cell phones while driving because they feel their time so valuable: Hey buddy, maybe YOUR time isn’t valuable, but I like to make productive use of my time. You must have an inferiority complex to hate on other people so much.
And for those people hating on people who use bluetooth headsets: If you don’t like them, then just keep your mouth shut. If I don’t like your shoes, I’ll keep my mouth shut. Having to verbally tell somebody you don’t like something about them, especially when it has no effect on you whatsoever just displays your lack of tolerance for other people. If you prefer to keep a hand busy while talking on the phone then that’s fine. I, personally, like to be able to use both my hands when talking on the phone to do other things. Makes life a bit easier.