It never stops. I just heard it again. The claim that talking on the cellphone is equivalent to driving drunk. Why would facts matter to these polemicists?
I‘ve mentioned before- with data– that there are plenty of distractions we allow in cars. From the fact that once we are not alone so our compatriots distract us. A radio distracts us. An audio book distracts us. But, we still make cars with passenger seats, radios, CD’s, and tape players. But we don’t make cars with bars- unless they are limos and the bar is for the passengers in the rear seats.
I have also written about the fact that we can time-slice (it’s really not multi-tasking) as long as we use different parts of our brain for each task. And, therein lies the crux of the problem. Talking and driving a car seem to use the same portions of the brain.
And, it is much worse with novice (most of which are young) drivers. Because just like we can easily walk and talk at the same time, when we were toddlers learning to walk, we would not talk- but devoted 100% of our energy and thoughts to walking. New drivers have not developed any “brain memory” to achieve safe driving, when and if there are distractions. Experienced drivers have.
So, it’s not surprising that young drivers experience a drop of 30 or 40% in reaction time if they are talking – and someone walks across the street. Donald Strayer (along with J.M. Cooper, J. Turrill, J. Coleman, N. Medeiros-Ward, and F. Biondi at the University of Utah) for the American Automobile Association measured distractions to driving, using a scale of 1 to 5. They found that listening to the radio rated 1.2 on that scale, hearing an audiobook was 1.75, but trying to solve a math problem or memorize a list of words was a 5. (By the way a passenger discussion and hand-held phone use was about equivalent at 2.4, and hands-free phone use was slightly lower) Interestingly, they did not measure these distractions when one was impaired by alcohol- or the reactions with alcohol alone.
As I’ve said over and over- unless we are going to outlaw passengers in the car, then outlawing hands-free phone usage is simply following one’s bias despite facts.
I agree Roy. From cigarettes to hamburgers and even electric shavers many seem to multi-task just fine!
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I understand the need to limit the distractions for novice drivers, as I mentioned. I also think a more comprehensive exam for driving (some can’t operate a car in the rain or the snow) would be more useful, Alessa. But, to allow folks to have heated conversations in vehicles and blame something else for the problem is just wrong.
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Can we please use the facts??? http://t.co/LWkajxZk8h
You make a very valid point, Roy. It certainly makes sense that a hands free phone conversation isn’t much different than a passenger conversation. My daughter is just learning how to drive and I CAN’T STAND this whole process. I wonder what distraction there was for the man who was driving and hit my son and his two friends? There had to have been something since he didn’t see them at all until he was just about to hit them.
I wonder if the person was texting or changing his radio station. That is exactly the prime issue, Suerae.
And, see if your state has rules similar to mine- no cell phone use and no passengers (other than family members) for the first years of driving. They are very good ideas- since teenagers in a crowd in a car and more prone to “funny stuff” than by themselves.
I don’t know how it is working on your side of the pond, but over here, the problem stems from the fact that most drivers don’t use hands-free, which I find really dangerous. I suppose that the problem is to have the same rule for everybody, when we all have different experiences/skills.
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Not using hands-free is a real problem. I admit that I used my cell phone like a regular phone for a decade or more (long before there were hands-free devices and back when my phone was a rectangular solid of 2 by 2 and 8 inches tall). Of course, I do know how to drive a car (and a race car)- but I know that sort of engagement can be distracting. Just like changing stations on my car or arguing with a fellow passenger.
And, yes, Muriel, these “one size fits all” sort of regulations don’t work. I am pleased that where I live the rules for young drivers are more stringent- how many passengers, no cell phones, etc.)- but it should be for a new drivers, as well.
What’s your take on driving while talking on the phone? http://t.co/Mht4bzKo8n