It is illegal to talk on a cell phone while driving but...

[LoraJ]

Every other week at work we have to attend a meeting at 5pm. We are allowed to call in if we have a hands free unit. Since I only have to say that I am present and the rest of the time listen in, it isn't much different than listening to a talk radio show. It would be very different if I had the phone in my hand, especially since I drive a stick. I find myself focused on the road more intensely when I am listening in on these meetings. Even more than when I am talking to my husband in the passenger seat. I'm getting a new car in a couple of weeks that has bluetooth phone controls from my steering wheel. I am so excited for that because my husband seems to like to call at the worst times and I refuse to pick up the phone while I am driving. Now I can hit a button and say I am 5 minutes away and be done with it. Even with the bluetooth, I will not be making any unnecessary calls.

I usually do not have a problem with people driving and talking to passengers. I think only once did I run into someone like this. A woman was swerving all over the road. I was keeping my distance from her but when we got to the light I noticed she was just talking to a passenger. I was so aggravated I asked if she was drunk and she was like "no I am not drunk" and I said well you need to pay attention because you are swerving all over the place. Of course she told me to you know what myself and the passenger mouthed "thank you" to me.

 

[JR6ooo4]

You can do a lot of things while driving, such as eating, applying makeup, etc. What probably sets cell phones apart is the amount of mental concentration it takes to drive, hold a phone AND think about what you are saying on the phone. And yet, I can drive, hold a hamburger, and talk with my passengers, so you have a good point.

I was taught it is illegal to do anything that distracts from driving, like drinking a pepsi, etc...

Mikeeee

 

[HelenePA]

1. You pull over

2. You remove toys from naughty toddler

3. You ignore them


Being on a cell phone is an engaging activity. To avoid the distraction--pull over.

And if you cannot control your kids in the back seat and have an accident, your children will not be a valid defense.

You can train your children to behave and be safe in the car.

You can't train a cell phone conversation to not distract you.

Again--studies and testing have shown that a volunatary phone conversation endangers those arround you.

Ignore them? And you dont "train" kids. You teach them.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Links to scientific evidence on the dangers of talking on a cell phone:

http://www.cartalk.com/content/features/Drive-Now/


In particular--one that compares talking on a cell phone to driving intoxicated:
http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=570222
Abstract:

We used a high-fidelity driving simulator to compare the performance of cell-phone drivers with drivers who were legally intoxicated from ethanol. When drivers were conversing on either a hand-held or hands-free cell-phone, their braking reactions were delayed and they were involved in more traffic accidents than when they were not conversing on the cell phone. By contrast, when drivers were legally intoxicated they exhibited a more aggressive driving style, following closer to the vehicle immediately in front of them and applying more force while braking. When controlling for driving conditions and time on task, cell-phone drivers exhibited greater impairment than intoxicated drivers. The results have implications for legislation addressing driver distraction caused by cell phone conversations.

Interesting study that says engaging in conversations with passengers can be just as dangerous as cell phone usage (not that they are--but they can be):
http://www.umtri.umich.edu/content/rr37_1.pdf


Washington post article that cell phones are more dangerous that talking with passengers:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/02/AR2008120201066.html

"We think it is basically a process of joint attention, so when you have a person sitting next to you who is experienced as a driver, that person actually understands something about traffic, supports you actively in dealing with traffic," explained study author Frank Drews, an associate professor of psychology at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City.

"You get very supportive behavior that shows not only in gestures but in switching the conversation . . . to what is happening in the driving environment," he said.

Drivers talking on the cell phone just blew by the exit," Drews said. "The phenomenon here is you talk on the cell phone, realize once you hang up, 'I'm not here.'"

"We had a hard time convincing them that they just didn't perceive [the exit]," he continued. "This is consistent with previous work which showed 'inattention blindness,' a 50 percent impairment of processing visual stimuli" when conversing on a cell phone, Drews said.

Half of the drivers talking on cell phones missed the exit. In contrast, only three of 24 drivers missed the exit when talking with another person sitting next to them.

"The issue with cell phones is a concept called attention," said Dr. Christopher Colenda, the Jean and Thomas McMullin Dean of the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine. "When you're on the cell phone, it appears as though the process of talking with the cell phone may have an impact on one's attention and ability to visualize what's going on in the environment, because you are focused in on an abstract concept called the telephone

So no--speaking on a cell phone is NOT the same as speaking to someone in the car.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Ignore them? And you dont "train" kids. You teach them.

Ummm--yes--or you don't have them in a car.

If it is so distracting to have a toddler throwing missiles at the driver.




Why is this a difficult concept that you find humorous?

("Train" can be used interchangably with teach. A child who proves to be a hazardous distraction with a driver needs some serious education.)

 

[teacups]

And what's really crappy is that so many people want to say "to each his own"... well NOT IN THIS CASE! Your (not you! ) stupidity could get my family killed! You cant say "use common sense" either as so many people seem incapable of such a feat these days. These are reasons why there ARE LAWS to keep people off the phone.
And the people who defend talking on the phone while driving are just the ones I dont want to meet on the road! Oblivious to what can happen. They should take the bus.

 

[FireDancer]

Here is the study I was speaking about. Research shows talking on the phone and texting are both more distracting and dangerous than talking to a passenger next to you.

 

[Cantw8]

I guess I'm screwed..I was too cheap to get the "ignore" feature in my car

 

[HelenePA]

Ummm--yes--or you don't have them in a car.

If it is so distracting to have a toddler throwing missiles at the driver.




Why is this a difficult concept that you find humorous?

("Train" can be used interchangably with teach. A child who proves to be a hazardous distraction with a driver needs some serious education.)

Soooo how do you know when your toddler will have a tantrum? do they have timers what if your in the middle of a 4 hr car ride? I find it very humorous that you just think its soooo easy to ignore a child in a car.. pull to the side of the road sure. Take a break sure.. but ignore them completely? come on that's almost impossible. Why can't smokers just ignore the want/need to smoke in the car? I mean it should be just as easy to do that ignoring a screaming child is right?

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Soooo how do you know when your toddler will have a tantrum? do they have timers what if your in the middle of a 4 hr car ride? I find it very humorous that you just think its soooo easy to ignore a child in a car.. pull to the side of the road sure. Take a break sure.. but ignore them completely? come on that's almost impossible. Why can't smokers just ignore the want/need to smoke in the car? I mean it should be just as easy to do that ignoring a screaming child is right?

Why are you so abraisive?

Yes--as a matter of fact I ignore an issue and if it becomes impossible to ignore I find the safest place to pull off immediately (as in the case of an inconsolable hungry infant which is quite different from a bratty toddler.)

I've done numerous trips of varying lengths and yes I "trained" my kids to behave in the car. When a break was needed, a break was taken.

Regardless--it isn't the same as speaking on a cell phone and a restrained child isn't of danger to the driver unless the driver CHOOSES to fix the issue while driving. Then in that case--it is the driver and not the child who is creating danger.

Your anger should be directed at the studies that have proven that driving and speaking on a cell phone impairs the driver like alchohol.

There are numerous ways that a driver can be distracted and if controlling a 2yo is that difficult--I'd stay home before driving anywhere and risk wrecking the car and injuring the 2yo or myself.

This isn't a thread about the perfect parent.

But common sense prevails--if your passengers are so destracting that you are at a higher risk for a car accident--then the burden is on the driver to either not drive or to fix the problem.

 

[Jennasis]

I was always under the impression that it wasn't the talking that was so disruptive as it was the dialing and fiddling with the phone. After-all, nobody has any trouble carrying on a conversation with a passenger, right?

Smoking sounds plenty dangerous to me, when driving. I can personally cite several people I know who were involved with accidents due to cigarette smoking (one while fiddling with the lighter, DH had one when he dropped the cigarette in his lap and burned himself and crashed, and one when my bff's mom tossed a cigarette out the window accidentally burning the motorcycle driver behind her who then crashed).

Not only that but I can smell disgusting cigarette smoke from the driver in front of me going down the interstate. Gross.

Also, drinking, and eating are plenty distracting.

 

[Cantw8]

Why are you so abraisive?

Wow. If she seems "abrasive" to you, it could be due to the condescending and pompous tone of your posts. You may not intend it to be that way but that's how it comes off

 

[Feralpeg]

There are so many things that can distract a driver. It would be impossible to eliminate all of them. For me, smoking isn't that big an issue. Digging through a purse to find a cigarette and a lighter. Using the lighter to light the cigarette, I can see as a problem. But, digging around for a CD or reaching for food and drink while driving are also a problem. I just don't think all of those things can be eliminated. At this point, let's go for the big things...cell phone usage. If that can be eliminated, I'd be willing to take my chances with the other things.

 

[Feralpeg]

I was always under the impression that it wasn't the talking that was so disruptive as it was the dialing and fiddling with the phone. After-all, nobody has any trouble carrying on a conversation with a passenger, right?

Smoking sounds plenty dangerous to me, when driving. I can personally cite several people I know who were involved with accidents due to cigarette smoking (one while fiddling with the lighter, DH had one when he dropped the cigarette in his lap and burned himself and crashed, and one when my bff's mom tossed a cigarette out the window accidentally burning the motorcycle driver behind her who then crashed).

Not only that but I can smell disgusting cigarette smoke from the driver in front of me going down the interstate. Gross.

Also, drinking, and eating are plenty distracting.

My younger brother totaled a car when he was 18 because he dropped his cigarette between his legs. While trying to find it, he lost control and went into a ditch and hit a tree. Fortunately, he wasn't injured from the wreck. He did have a burn in a rather nasty place. It was a real shame. It was a 57 Chevy that my grandmother gave him after my grandfather died. It was in mint condition with only 30k miles. All that lost over a cigarette.

 

[Geoff_M]

Here is the study I was speaking about. Research shows talking on the phone and texting are both more distracting and dangerous than talking to a passenger next to you.

I haven't read all 266 pages from your link, but in what I did rummage through it's pretty clear that the document doesn't make the clear-cut case your staking out. For example, it mentions that the added "risk" for cell phones may be rooted in the fact that drivers have more phone conversations in their car versus conversations with occupants and therefore has a higher cumulative risk... but a given cell phone call may not actually be more dangerous than a given comparable conversation with an occupant. Likewise, it cites that the added danger may be due to the fact that, unlike an occupant, the person on the cell phone can't see when a traffic situation is becoming more precarious and would not "shut up" to allow the driver to concentrate on the road. However, this speaks more to the manner that the phone is being used by the driver instead of the phone itself. I'm not afraid to tell a person on the phone to "hold on a minute" or "I'll call you back" if I see that the driving is about to become more difficult. And lastly, the report notes the paradox between theoretical and observed risk as cell phone use has skyrocketed.

It would be interesting to see updated data, but this study published in 2001 by AAA examined actual police crash reports and found that rate of cell phone distractions as a factor in accidents was way down the list compared to distractions from other sources (eating/drinking, CD player, something rolling around on the floor, adjusting climate controls, other occupants, etc.).

So, no, I don't think that the notion that any given cell phone call is approximately as risky having the same exact conversation with the person in the car has been proven to be false.

 

[FireDancer]

I wasn't referencing the report to prove the notion that cell conversation is more or less safe the in person conversation, though I have read reports that conclude that. I cited the report to disprove the notion that cell phone conversation on hands free devices is substantially safer than handheld devices and, as a result, should be allowed while handheld devices are not.

Direct quote from page 262:

Research has consistently demonstrated that diversion of a driver's
cognitive attention can seriously impair the ability to drive safely. And, the reality is,
driver' performance can be compromised regardless of whether the device is hand-held or
hands- free. Consequently, we recommend that drivers not use a cell phone while driving.

and from page 261:

A significant body of research worldwide indicates that both hand-held and hands-free
cell phones increase the risk of a crash. Indeed, research has demonstrated that there is
little, if any, difference between the use of hand-held and hands-free phones in
contributing to the risk of a crash while driving distracted. Hands-free or hand-held, we
have found that the cognitive distraction is significant enough to degrade a drivers'
performance.

We recommend that drivers not use these devices when driving, except in an emergency.
Moreover, we are convinced that legislation forbidding the use of handheld cell phones
while driving may not be effective in improving highway safety since it will not address
the problem. In fact, such legislation may erroneously imply that hands-free phones are
safe to use while driving.

Source: Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

I am concerned with the fiction that talking on a wireless device is any more safe than hand held and therefore both should be banned.


 

[legalsea]

We must all remember this:
1. Anecdotal evidence is the best evidence of all. If a friend of a niece’s roommate once had a motor vehicle accident because she was distracted for a moment by a friend’s baby in the back seat, that is real and substantial evidence that driving with a baby in the back seat is much more dangerous than talking on a cell phone while driving.
2. Studies and statistics that YOU find on the Internet are worthless, because everyone knows you can’t trust Internet sources.
3. Studies and statistics that I find on the Internet are trustworthy and believable because I found said study and/or statistic and it backs up my own point of view.
4. Finally, I am a superior driver and it is literally impossible for me to be distracted while driving. I can talk on a cell phone, text message, eat, smoke, drink, you name it, due to my superior ability to concentrate on multiple tasks at once. Even if the backseat of my car is literally in flames just like that scene in the John Candy movie “Planes, Trains and Automobiles”, you may rest assure that I will remain calm and collected and that I will concentrate on driving, even while I am calling 911 to report the fire as well as texting my friends about this strange yet strangely hilarious episode in my interesting life.
5. You, however, are a risk to all simply because you are not me. Laws are made due to people like you, not due to people like me. If you were like me we would not need these laws.

 

[chabs]

Honestly, this whole cell phone thing drives me nuts. I've now heard that they are now wanting to ban hands-free? Give me a break.


They'd better ban having your kids ride in your car with you because that's an even BIGGER distraction while driving. Also, just having a discussion with a friend in the passenger seat is just as distracting as talking on the phone... so they'd better ban all people from riding in a vehicle except the driver...

I totally agree with you! It is so ridiculous! I was ticketed a couple of weeks ago and it cost me $135! I really wanted to say to the officer-why don't you give me a ticket for my screaming kids in the car-they are way more distracting than a cell phone. I think that the cell phone laws are just outright absurd. There is no difference between me talking on my cell phone and me talking to other passengers in my car. And I agree with smoking and eating and apply makeup-there's not much difference in the distraction.

 

[Jennasis]

We must all remember this:
1. Anecdotal evidence is the best evidence of all. If a friend of a niece’s roommate once had a motor vehicle accident because she was distracted for a moment by a friend’s baby in the back seat, that is real and substantial evidence that driving with a baby in the back seat is much more dangerous than talking on a cell phone while driving.
2. Studies and statistics that YOU find on the Internet are worthless, because everyone knows you can’t trust Internet sources.
3. Studies and statistics that I find on the Internet are trustworthy and believable because I found said study and/or statistic and it backs up my own point of view.
4. Finally, I am a superior driver and it is literally impossible for me to be distracted while driving. I can talk on a cell phone, text message, eat, smoke, drink, you name it, due to my superior ability to concentrate on multiple tasks at once. Even if the backseat of my car is literally in flames just like that scene in the John Candy movie “Planes, Trains and Automobiles”, you may rest assure that I will remain calm and collected and that I will concentrate on driving, even while I am calling 911 to report the fire as well as texting my friends about this strange yet strangely hilarious episode in my interesting life.
5. You, however, are a risk to all simply because you are not me. Laws are made due to people like you, not due to people like me. If you were like me we would not need these laws.

Wait wait wait...tall this time I thought the rules were written to protect me, NOW you say it's to protect YOU from ME??? Hangs head in shame.

BTW...best post ever!

 

[threeboysmom]

I really don't care about these so-called studies. They don't seem to prove anything.

What I'd like to know is why talking to my best friend on the cell (hands-free) while driving is that different from talking to my best friend in the passenger seat with me??? What is ONE thing that is different in my concentration and ability to drive?

Yes, they've monitored a person talking on their cell and a person driving under the influence and found them to be similar, but they didn't do a similar report on a female talking to the passenger next to her and see how that rates.

I honestly would miss MANY a exit while talking if it weren't for the person sitting next to me shouting "oh no!!! that's your exit!!" AHHHH!