Drivers on cell phones kill thousands

[clawhammer]

When young adults use cell phones while driving, they're as bad as a 70-year-old on the verge of a nap and signaling for that eventual left turn. And yes, you can blame the chatty 20-somethings for the stop-and-go traffic on the way to work.

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A new study confirms that the reaction time of cellphone users slows dramatically, increasing the risk of accidents and tying up traffic in general.

"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," said University of Utah psychology professor David Strayer. "It's like instantly aging a large number of drivers."

The study was announced Tuesday and is detailed in winter issue of the quarterly journal Human Factors.

Traffic jams and death
Cellphone distraction causes 2,600 deaths and 330,000 injuries in the United States every year, according to the journal's publisher, the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.

The reason is now obvious:

Drivers talking on cell phones were 18 percent slower to react to brake lights, the new study found. In a minor bright note, they kept a 12 percent greater following distance. But they also took 17 percent longer to regain the speed they lost when they braked. That frustrates everyone.

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"Once drivers on cell phones hit the brakes, it takes them longer to get back into the normal flow of traffic," Strayer said. "The net result is they are impeding the overall flow of traffic."

Strayer and his colleagues have been down this road before. In 2001, they found that even hands-free cell phone use distracted drivers. In 2003 they revealed a reason: Drivers look but don't see, because they're distracted by the conversation. The scientists also found previously that chatty motorists are less adept than drunken drivers with blood alcohol levels exceeding 0.08.

Separate research last year at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign supported the conclusion that hands-free cellphone use causes driver distraction.

"With younger adults, everything got worse," said Arthur Kramer, who led the Illinois study. "Both young adults and older adults tended to show deficits in performance. They made more errors in detecting important changes, and they took longer to react to the changes."

The impaired reactions involved seconds, not just fractions of a second, so stopping distances increased by car lengths.

Older drivers more cautious
The latest study used high-tech simulators. It included people aged 18 to 25 and another group aged 65 to 74. Elderly drivers were slower to react when talking on the phone, too.

The simulations uncovered a twofold increase in the number of rear-end collisions by drivers using cell phones.

Older drivers seem to be more cautious overall, however.

"Older drivers were slightly less likely to get into accidents than younger drivers," Strayer said. "They tend to have a greater following distance. Their reactions are impaired, but they are driving so cautiously they were less likely to smash into somebody." But in real life, he added, older drivers are significantly more likely to be rear-ended because of their slow speed.

Respond

I think that all states should have laws banning cell phones, unless used with those handsfree devices, like New York.

[SeXy_AnGeL]

New Jersey banned it too. Good idea, needs to be enforced IMO

[fredjacksonsan]

Yep, pull over to talk. I've nearly been hit by numerous people yakking away on their cells. It's not just the teens; I think the soccer moms are the worst.

[taranaki]

Thread title is misleading.

Whilst it may be true that thousands have been killed by drivers using cellphones,it's not the cell phone that's the problem.If those idiots didn't have phones, they'd be doing something else...like putting on makeup, fiddling with the stereo,rummaging in the junk on the passenger seat for a cigarette lighter.....

The list of potential diversions for those who think they are too clever to pay attention to the road is endless.At least if they are driving along with a handheld phone clamped to their ear, you can see that not only are they a lousy driver, they're too cheap to buy a hands free kit.

[mike1224]

Originally Posted by clawhammer

I think that all states should have laws banning cell phones, unless used with those handsfree devices, like New York.

I agree totally, I don't know how many times i've alomst beem hit because of talking on the phone. I had one lady chase me down (about 4 miles to my house) and yell at me for laying on the horn and interupting her phone call... i think she was surprised to have the police coming to her house about road rage (ok so i left out a few parts).

[RickwithaTbird]

I drive on the phone. Im just smarter than everyone else, so its okay. I've avoided accidents with blazing reaction times while on the phone, and no I was not the one causing them. I personally know that I am capable of driving just as good as anybody else on the road, while I am on the phone. BUT, I do think it should be illegal, because not everyone is as talented as I am.

[clawhammer]

Originally Posted by RickwithaTbird

I drive on the phone. Im just smarter than everyone else, so its okay. I've avoided accidents with blazing reaction times while on the phone, and no I was not the one causing them. I personally know that I am capable of driving just as good as anybody else on the road, while I am on the phone. BUT, I do think it should be illegal, because not everyone is as talented as I am.

That's what you think now, but so does everyone else who is talking on their phone while driving. My suggestion, don't be a cheap bastard and get yourself a handsfree headset for you phone.

[knorwj]

If you're diving an automatic I really don't see the difference between cell phone usage and talking to a passenger. And as far as dialing the phone what about your cd player are they gonna ban radios and cd players in cars next?


if you drive stick well thats a little different... its all but impossible to use a cell phone, hold the wheel, and shift at the same time... easiest way is to hold the wheel with your knees... you know like when you're eating

[PBking82]

NOOOO!!!!! banning cell-phones in new york was terrible!!! There was a guy traveling from canada through plattsburgh when he got busted with somethin like 150lbs of fresh Canuck Cheebah!! The reason for getting pulled over? Talking on his cell-phone. Cops smelled the pot as soon as they walked up to the car. Peace-

[RickwithaTbird]

Originally Posted by knorwj

If you're diving an automatic I really don't see the difference between cell phone usage and talking to a passenger. And as far as dialing the phone what about your cd player are they gonna ban radios and cd players in cars next?


if you drive stick well thats a little different... its all but impossible to use a cell phone, hold the wheel, and shift at the same time... easiest way is to hold the wheel with your knees... you know like when you're eating

exactly. like when youre eating, or smokin a J, changing a cd while talking on the phone....

I think they should have a cell phone driving test, so that you can apply for a "cell phone liscense". I would pass it. Then they could put a little cell phone logo on my liscense plate so cops will know not to pull me over, because Im not too stupid to use my mouth and eyes at the same time. I dont care what the report says, I know there were some people who were just as good of drivers with a conversation being held in their hand; but they didnt mention the percentage of people who were slower, just the percent slower that the people who were slower were. I've made plenty of split second driving decisions while on the phone. I do it every day. I don't care how much crap you feed me about the idiots who cant drive while on the phone, I know that I can.

Those people that have slow reactions on the phone, probably have just as slow of reactions while talking to a passenger. Its actually probably worse with a passenger because you look over at them while talking. If they ever ban talking to your passengers, I will assassinate my local lawmakers.

Once again though... I do support the banning of cell phones while driving, because the people who cant pay attention and drive will get pulled over, but I, on the otherhand, will be paying attention, and I will hide my phone before a cop sees me. So yea, go ahead and ban cell phone usage on the road. I don't care. I'm too quick for that, and those who aren't will get ticketed.

[-Davo]

Talking on the phone while you're driving is already illegal in australia and has a hefty fucking fine, but does everyone obay the law? no they fucking don't. Fucking assholes, pull over you some of a bitch. I've had to dodge a few people because they were on their phones, it's pathetic.

And they blame us P platers for being bad drivers, at least I either don't answer the phone or pull over to talk.

[/angry]

[thegladhatter]

I would MUCH rather see someone on a cellphone than driving down the road eating a BigMac. I think WAY too much is made of cellphone usage in a car. Cops use their radios...what is the difference?

[clawhammer]

Originally Posted by RickwithaTbird

exactly. like when youre eating, or smokin a J, changing a cd while talking on the phone....

I think they should have a cell phone driving test, so that you can apply for a "cell phone liscense". I would pass it. Then they could put a little cell phone logo on my liscense plate so cops will know not to pull me over, because Im not too stupid to use my mouth and eyes at the same time. I dont care what the report says, I know there were some people who were just as good of drivers with a conversation being held in their hand; but they didnt mention the percentage of people who were slower, just the percent slower that the people who were slower were. I've made plenty of split second driving decisions while on the phone. I do it every day. I don't care how much crap you feed me about the idiots who cant drive while on the phone, I know that I can.

Those people that have slow reactions on the phone, probably have just as slow of reactions while talking to a passenger. Its actually probably worse with a passenger because you look over at them while talking. If they ever ban talking to your passengers, I will assassinate my local lawmakers.

Once again though... I do support the banning of cell phones while driving, because the people who cant pay attention and drive will get pulled over, but I, on the otherhand, will be paying attention, and I will hide my phone before a cop sees me. So yea, go ahead and ban cell phone usage on the road. I don't care. I'm too quick for that, and those who aren't will get ticketed.

Listen, I really don't care how well you think you can drive. There has been a study conducted here. Numbers don't lie. Why not just buy a headset? It's less than $20?

[RickwithaTbird]

a handset is more complicated than holding a phone by my ear. How does it make it any easier? seriously, how? And listen, if they had a scientific study done on me, and they proved I had slower reactions, then I would believe it (maybe)... but when I am on the phone, I pay attention to my reaction times. I check my mirrors, I check distance in front, distance behind, I check my blindspots, and I watch the speedometer, and I watch the traffic lights Im approaching, and I look left and right everytime I cross an intersection.. whether I am on the phone or not.

You cant tell me that I have slower reaction times when I am on the phone, just because a majority of the people they tested do. If they did a test about what percentage of people could dunk a basketball and they said 70 percent of people can't do it, then you probably wouldn't believe that I can. I'm cool with them making it illegal to drive while on the phone... if they do that, then they will never see me using it because I am too attentive for them to catch me.

Do you think all the people who were 18 percent slower had that kind of confidence? no way. they probably tested 20 year old girls who weren't driving their own cars on their own insurance. Fuck if I'm gonna crash my own car due to my own stupidity... hell no.

[pennypicher]

I think it's the dick heads behind the wheel. Whether it's cell phones or something else some people just can't drive, this only adds to the problem. I drive many thousand miles per year and use my phone heavily while driving. I see "hands free" phones being used by someone writing on a clipboard or typing on a laptop. Dah hello!!! I have no problem driving and talking of course driving comes first. Always keep aware what is going on around you. Some can't see past their nose.