Cellphone talkers as bad as drunk drivers: study

[NashVegas]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - People who talk on cellphones while driving, even using "hands-free" devices, are as impaired as drunk drivers, researchers said on Thursday.

...

The researchers used a driving simulation device for their study, published in the summer 2006 issue of Human Factors: The Journal of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.

They studied 40 volunteers who used a driving simulator four times -- while undistracted, using a handheld cell phone, using a hands-free cell phone and while intoxicated to a 0.08 percent blood-alcohol level -- the average legal level of impairment in the United States -- after drinking vodka and orange juice.

Three study participants rear-ended the simulated car in front of them. All were talking on cellphones and none was drunk, the researchers said.

http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=domesticNews&storyID=2006-06-30T105819Z_01_N29294149_RTRUKOC_0_US-CELLPHONES.xml&archived=False

[silverojo]

1. No surprise there!

These morons can barely drive without distractions, let alone while gabbing with their spouses and/or bitching at their kids....

[SmokingJacket]

2. Plus, there are a lot more of them.

Talking on the phone is extremely absorbing. You can often tell by the way a car approaches an intersection that the driver is on the phone.

[CrispyQ]

7. I drive on two lane "country" roads to get to town.

You can tell as they approach you & begin drifting over the yellow line they are probably on their phone.

[slackmaster]

15. More of them, and during times of heavy traffic

The morning and afternoon rush hour commutes.

[LifeDuringWartime]

16. yeah!

I get nervous sometimes when I cross at an intersection. They don't always stop quite as early as I would find comfortable! :scared:

damn Boston drivers ;)

[raccoon]

3. I think it should be illegal to talk on the cellphone while driving.

Why can't the person just pull over if s/he HAS to use the phone?

And I see so many people driving and talking on the phone in heavy traffic at rush hour.

Add to that, what if the call isn't the usual nothing of "where are you, blah, blah, blah," but is something like,

"I want a divorce."

"The test came back positive."

"You're fired."

[MorningGlow]

26. It's illegal here in New York State

Hands-free headsets only, or pull over--that's our law.

'Course, it doesn't seem to be enforced, judging by how many eedjit drivers I see sliding all over the road while holding a phone to their ear--and that includes sheriff's deputies and state troopers!

:wtf:

[shadowknows69]

33. Totally not enforced up here in Watertown

n/t

[dysfunctional press]

48. it's illegal in chicago- but not enforced for shit...

however- the receptionist at my dr.'s office got a ticket for it- she answered a call that turned out to be a wrong number while driving, a cop saw her- she got a ticket.

[pokercat999]

55. I pulled over to take a call on I-64 in VA. I was well off

the road with my flashers on. The state police stopped and told me to drive, taking a call was not an emergency and you could only stop for an emergency. So I drove down the road talking and writing down instructions from my boss.
I hate cell phones, they are not ready for "prime time" IMO.

[soothsayer]

4. Hands-free let's me keep one hand on the wheel, one on the

vodka and orange juice

[Warpy]

Mythbusters did that last winter

and I just happened to catch it when I was in Florida.

They took a sample of half a dozen young adults, both sexes. They had them drive a course sober and without a phone. They then repeated the course while talking to Mythbusters people on the cell phone, then they had 3 drinks apiece and ran the same course.

Mythbusters found that they were WORSE when they were on the cell phone than they were when they were drunk!

My guess for this phenomenon is that cellphones require much greater concentration than talking to a person who is present because of the absence of visual cues we get during conversation. All that attention is taken away from the road and the outcome is all too predictable.

The problem, as always, will be convincing the cell phone addicts that they're a menace and that if they MUST take that call, they need to PULL OVER.

[Jim__]

9. I agree about the problems of people driving while on the phone.

But, I hope drivers aren't getting too many visual cues during conversations with other people in the car.

[Warpy]

10. It seems that they are and it's through peripheral vision

something that doesn't take as much attention away from the road.

As long as they're not having a knock down, drag out fight, they're not as impaired as cell phone users or drunks.

[politicat]

51. And in addition to the missing visual cues, there's the sound quality.

A conversation with a person on a land line or in a moving car has a better sound quality, no matter what the cell phone companies want us to believe. The signal degrades just enough that the brain has to put extra energy into decrypting the conversation, and that makes it harder to drive and talk at the same time.

I notice that people who listen to audiobooks or have long conversations in the car don't have nearly the problems that cell drivers have.

[braddy]

52. cell phones

"The problem, as always, will be convincing the cell phone addicts that they're a menace and that if they MUST take that call, they need to PULL OVER."




Even better let me call you back in five minutes, if the caller says this is "really important" then really insist you'll call them back in a few minutes, driving is no time for "important" calls.

You do not want to hear Mom died, or the IRS called, while you are navigating traffic.

If you think about it, driving is no time for casual phone conversations either.

[Divernan]

5. It's illegal to talk on a cellphone in Chicago.

I was warned by my rental car company.

[BlueIris]

22. Really? That is AWESOME.

Rock on, Windy City!

[0007]

6. Some early morning commuters I see are drinking coffee smoking

a cigarette and using the cell phone while driving slowly.

[MindPilot]

8. That would tell me the average driver is just incompetent

A cop can chase somebody at high speeds while talking on the radio, using the in-car computer and generally not hit anything. A pilot can fly the plane, talk on the radio, communicate with whoever else is in the cockpit, and do navigational calculations all without smiting the earth. If you can't drive and talk on the phone at the same time, I say it's time for a refresher course.

[Ezlivin]

11. What if that pilot was still on the runway?

And what if the runway was crowded with other planes?

A plane can afford to deviate from its altitude or heading by tens of feet with no problem; there is nothing that close to the aircraft. But if you are a terrestrial pilot (driver) you cannot afford to deviate four feet from your heading or else you'll be in another lane. If that other lane is running in the opposite direction....

Anyway, the study involved drivers, not pilots. If repeated studies show the same thing then you can bet that there is a problem with people using cell phones while driving. A "refresher course" won't accomplish anything.

Leave multitasking to computers.

[MindPilot]

43. On the ground is one of the busiest times...

the pilot is on the radio, running through the pre-flight checklist, steering with his feet, compensating for crosswinds, setting up navigation instruments, finalizing the flight plan and looking out for other traffic, etc etc.

My point is that we need way better driver training and frequent regular testing to weed out the incompetents.

[Ezlivin]

49. If we could train drivers like pilots we'd have a pretty good system

After I earned my Pilot's License my wife asked me if I thought it made me a better driver.

I said no, but it made me a better pilot.

:)

And another thing about comparing a pilot talking on the radio with a driver chatting on the cell phone, 99.99% of the time the pilot is discussing information relevant to what's going on with the aircraft. ATC doesn't just radio the pilot to chat about the latest fashions or what happened on "24" last night. The driver, however, is NOT discussing anything related to the vehicle. In fact the discussion most probably is a distraction from the task at hand. Americans have a Pavlovian response to the sound of their cell phone ringing and will answer it even if it means taking their eyes off the road.

In my opinion it is this sort of thing that makes cell phone users so dangerous. How many times have you seen someone squinting down at their cell phone and trying to punch out a number while driving? Here in the D/FW area it is extremely common.

[slackmaster]

18. MindPilot, I know you know how dumb the average person is

Half of them are dumber than that.

[MindPilot]

44. And they all have driver's licenses and voter registration cards

:scared:

[slackmaster]

45. Even scarier - they breed

There is a curvalinear relationship between intelligence and reproductive fitness.

By some strange coincidence, people of average intelligence have the most kids.

:dunce:

[jpgray]

54. Worse, odds are you were born of average people

:D

[OhioChick]

12. No surprise here........

Nearly every day on the highway, I come awfully close to being hit.....and it's always someone on a cell phone. :mad:

[AlCzervik]

13. i believe it, i really don't think the brain has the ability to toggle

back and forth between 2 tasks, of course i gave nothing to back that up, just my opinion.

[slackmaster]

14. Mmmmmm, vodka and orange juice

This doesn't surprise me at all. I see motorists doing stupid things while talking on cell phones every day.

BTW - Last year a coworker of mine was killed in a traffic accident on a mountain road. She was driving a Mini, and was hit head-on by a pickup truck that had crossed into her lane. The driver of the pickup was sober, and talking on a cell phone.

[Skittles]

38. my friend was killed while talking on a cell phone

he was at a red light; when it turned green he went and was broad-sided by a lady who ran the red light. Of course it was her fault but I have wondered if Tim would have seen her if he had not been distracted.

[bleedingheart]

17. one of my old bosses got a ticket when a state trooper saw him

driving while talkin on his cell phone and fidgeting with his wallet.

He was using his kneecaps to steer the car.

[RedEarth]

19. It doesn't surprise me in the least.......

[BlueIris]

20. People who talk on the phone while driving are selfish asshole fuckwits.

Hang it up and drive the dangerous motor vehicle you're unjustifiably licensed to operate, dipshits. We all have to share the road, and putting up with traveling vehicular homicides like you is the greatest hazard I face out there each day.

[shadowknows69]

32. Hear hear

I drive taxi and if I weren't an observant driver I'd probably be in 15 accidents a day.

[Skittles]

39. I agree with you

the f***ing arrogance just sickens me

[Dulcinea]

41. Agreed.

If I was in charge, the first law I'd pass would be to make talking on your stupid friggin' phone while driving punishable by loss of your driver's license for 120 days, no questions asked.

Second offense: Loss for a year.

Third offense: Loss FOREVER, kind of like the punishment for habitual drunk drivers.

And you'd get to spend the night in jail!

I have come very close to being taken out too many times by idiots yapping while driving to cut them any slack.

This is one of my biggest pet peeves!

[shadowknows69]

21. Absolutely

This is probably my biggest pet peeve. Some people can multi-task while driving. Most can't. How dare people inflict their carelessness on other people. In a car you are a weapon on wheels if you're not attentive.

[winter999]

23. Does anyone know if cell-addicts can be prosecuted

under existing Driving Under the Influence laws or do they explicitly say it has to be a "controlled substance"? What about Distracted Driver laws?

[Turbineguy]

24. Here's a cool one

the geniuses who built my (former) cell phone had an ambulance siren sound for a text message. The phone would change sounds from time to time (just for fun). The first time I got a text message I almost crashed trying to get out of the way of the ambulance which I could not see.

I now drive based on "accident avoidance" instead of traffic rules. I expect people to run red lights, stopsigns and to cut me off when I have the right of way.

[raccoon]

29. A great idea--people do those things frequently.

[jseankil]

25. I use my cell all the time in my car. It really saves time.

I'll be extra careful from now on.

[ileus]

27. I've never been hit by a DD, but have been by a 16yo on a cell...

Happened last year when a girl with her learners went to answer her cell while driving with her mom in their blazer. The blazer started rolling over and rolled up on the bed of the truck I was driving then fell off and continued rolling 4 or 5 more times...

[KansDem]

28. If it wasn't a tool for business or a toy for the affluent...

Cell phone use while driving would be illegal by now.

Like the bumper sticker says: Hang up and drive!

[JudyM]

30. We need a new group to get on this: MAWD (mothers vs wireless drivers)

Seems like if there are enough accidents, it'll happen sooner or later. I, personally, have narrowly avoided collisions with distracted cell phone drivers at least half a dozen times in the past couple years.

[shadowknows69]

31. It's a $100 fine in NY

but no one enforces it at all. every 3rd person I see is yapping on one.

[cobalt1999]

34. I wish they'd included one additional test in the research.

How does talking in a cell phone compare to talking to someone else in the same car? Based on the above, it would appear that ANY distraction would impair driving.

If so, how would they legislate that? No talking allowed.

I know driving with my wife and kids is far more distracting than using my cell phone.

[frylock]

35. they should have also applied the chewing bubblegum while walking test..

because I have to believe a percentage of the people used in this study would have a difficult time doing that as well.

[cobalt1999]

36. add in singing to the radio.

Maybe radios/CD players should be removed from all vehicles too. I'll bet the same test would show they distract from driving also. I've seen studies that show similar results for smoking while driving.

I like your bubble gum test, because, face it, some people are going to be dangerous REGARDLESS of the type of distraction (cell phone, cigarettes, radio, passengers, pretty birds in the sky, etc.).

How about making getting and keeping a drivers license tougher and forget all these silly laws?

[MindPilot]

42. Agreed. Hot chicks should be illegal too.

The last time I was in an accident that was my fault I was eying a hot chick in tight jeans and failed to notice the stopped vehicle in front of me.

[KansDem]

37. I've thought about this...

Physical restrictions of driving with one hand aside, let's consider this:

A cell phone talker is focused on one thing: the conversation. That's what's commanding his/her attention at that time, and the person on the other end of the line has no idea of what's going on on the road for the driver. However, if you have someone else in the car and you're talking to that person, you both are somewhat aware of what's going on around you. In fact, I always "tune someone out" whose in the car with me when I'm driving if I sense my full attention is needed for the road. Many times this person will also stop talking to allow me to concentrate when attention is required, like when we approach a road repair, an accident, or congestive traffic. In fact, another person in the car might even prove beneficial in such cases. I don't think this is the case with chatters. I sense they might feel somewhat removed from the road as they are chatting with someone not there with them; someone "far away." Of course I'm not an expert on this, but this is just my observation.

[cobalt1999]

40. could be, that's why I'd like to see the condition

compared in a study.

I've also been scared to death with a driver who insists on making and keeping eye contact while talking to me (as a passenger), along with hand gestures. At least you don't feel the need to make eye contact during a cell phone conversation.

[recoveringrepublican]

46. I agree, my conversations in the car consist of this

"Mommy"

"Nicolas I am driving, mommy can not talk right now"

"Mommy"

"Angelique I am driving, mommy can not talk right now".


Of course I am also hard of hearing, if they sound like they mean business I pull over and find out what they want.

Everyone else who drives with me knows it useless to try to talk while I'm driving, it's always "wait till we get to a red light".

Also, being hard of hearing I'm surprised that I'm one the first ones to "hear" (see for me really) an ambulance/police car coming. Maybe I'm just driving with assholes that don't move out of the way though?

I laughed my ass of when a 16-year-old was surprised that "they allow" me to drive. I probably "hear" much better than any jerks who are talking on a cell phone, thumping lame ass music, yelling at their kids, getting their makeover while driving.

[pitohui]

53. hey, a poster who actually read the posted article first!

i noticed that too -- the study does not prove that talking on a cell phone causes accident, it proves that TALKING causes accidents -- the results were the same even with hands free cells!

i guess we are all supposed to be treated like first graders, with nannies telling us "no talking, children" and talking while driving will become a criminal offense if the mobthink has its way

it's "causes" like this one that get progressives dismissed as authoritarian

it's a shame some can't talk and chew gum at the same time but i don't see how we can criminalize it

[SoCalDem]

47. They are WORSE..

at least some drunk drivers pay EXTRA attention to their driving so they don't APPEAR drunk to any passing cops.. "Phone-ies" don't give a crap.. they are more interested in "Whaaaazzzzzup" with their buds, or "Where are you? to their kids, than they are about the fact that the car in front of them has STOPPED.. or the old lady has entered the crosswalk...or that light is no longer YELLOW!

[krkaufman]

50. I've always felt that talking on the cell phone...

... causes the brain to visualize the person on the other end of the line, impairing one's ability to give 100% visual focus to the road ahead. Going hands-free, earbud or in-car system, does free one's hands, but doesn't change the visualization dynamic.

And the effect doesn't seem to be the same if carrying on the exact same conversation with someone in the car.