Saga of Cell Phone Accident...

run100 wrote:

wnjj wrote:

rhagfo wrote:
The biggest issue with cell phone usage is is holding the device, then it gets worse it the user decides to text!:S

Except for the texting part, I disagree. Holding something does not cause a "distraction" since only one hand is required to drive. Dialing, texting and reading are the issue.

For some irresponsible drivers the hands-free laws can make things worse when they try to hide their phone down in their laps, taking their eyes even further from the road.

The research, and my own observations, do not support your belief. Talking on a cell phone requires additional concentration compared with face-to-face interaction. It can easily be seen by watching a person's behavior when they are grocery shopping and talking on the phone at the same time.

Plain and simple - the risk outweighs the benefits by a significant margin.

Read what I wrote a little more carefully. I disagreed with his statement that said, "The biggest issue with cell phone usage is is holding the device" and quoted that specifically. The difference between holding and not holding the phone is negligible. It's the conversation that matters.

That aside, I do take issue with studies and watching people on phones in a casual situation like shopping and comparing that to real driving situations. It's possible that someone can prioritize differently when performing less critical functions. In other words, they're in a store shopping so who cares what's around them? That same person may well focus first on their driving when it matters. Then again, they may not.

Another example: Say you are asked to use a driving simulator while talking on a phone as part of a study. Do you really act the same when you risk nothing with "crashing" in there? Do these studies require you to carry on a coherent conversation? Is there a time limit to when you answer their questions? Can you say umm, umm, while the driving needs you attention and answer when you are stopped at a light? All of those factors will radically affect the quality of your driving during their study.

Does talking on a phone while driving take more concentration? Yes. Does it automatically make it dangerous? No. People can be distracted by many other things, even within their own thoughts. Ever drive home from work on "autopilot" and have to actually think the remember the past couple of traffic lights? I know I have. Would my reaction time have suffered if something were to have happened that needed my attention? Maybe.