In many ways, I've always been a 60-year-old man in an under-30-year-old body. Take, for instance, my instinctively uptight and resolute "they just didn't do that when I was a boy" aversion to using a cell phone while driving.If I'm conversing with a loved one and realize they're on the road, I feel nervous; if I'm driving and spot a fellow motorist on their phone, I feel less safe; and if I talk on the phone while driving (warning: hypocrite alert!), I feel more dangerous than Iceman accused Maverick of being in Top Gun (see here). Thus, count me among those disappointed by a recent article alleging that a proposed state ban on using handheld cell phones while driving "will likely die in the Iowa legislature this year".
My rationale for supporting such a ban initially stemmed from an intuitive, unscientific assumption that talking on the phone makes drivers (including myself) less cautious behind the wheel. A subsequent review of the scientific literature leads me to the same conclusion. For example, one recent report, which provided a statistical summary of 33 prior studies, concluded unequivocally that "cell phone conversation while driving increases reaction time to events and stimuli".
Thus, I do hope that the state legislature has a change of heart and votes to make Iowa the sixth US state (behind California, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York and Washington) to pass a handheld cell phone ban for all drivers. Can anyone think of a compelling reason why they should not?
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FYI, Accident Analysis and Prevention is not all that great of a journal, but Jeff Caird generally does solid work--pretty nice guy, too.
It looks like we have a mole in our midst. BenTheMan, whoever you are, is a closeted anti-cellite bastard who probably carries around an iPhone just to deceive people.
Yeah, it looks like Accident Analysis and Prevention ain’t quite in league with Science and Nature as its impact factor is a mere 1.586 citations per article. I wonder if obscure blog citations count?
On another note, the Caird article also concluded that “handheld and hands-free phones produced similar performance decrements [and] comparable crash risks.” If true, I think any future ban should encompass all phones (including hands-free), although the latter would be quite tricky to enforce.
I must admit, I do talk and drive on the phone to a limited extent. I don't do it in Capitol City due to the heavy traffic. I will do it on long drives when I have a good grasp of the traffic situation around me. I'm also not lame enough to feel that I NEED to talk on the phone when I'm driving. I'd much rather have that time to myself and Three Six Mafia. However, if my phone rings I'm not shy to pick it up. That requires me to punch one button so I'm not looking away from the road to search my contact list or pound out a text.
I do understand that many studies have been done proving how bad cell phones and driving are. I don't doubt them. How is it any different than having a person to person conversation in the car? Then you may have to make eye contact, dodge a punch, or explain for the 4 millionth time that you're not actually lost and you don't need directions!
I propose that only one person is allowed in a vehicle at a time! That will end almost all accidents!
A conversation with a person on a cell phone is different from a conversation with a passenger in the vehicle because the passenger in the vehicle has at least some awareness of the intensity of the traffic situation at the moment--the person on the phone does not. There've been some studies--again of questionable validity--that indicate that passengers in the vehicle DO actually modulate the conversation load to fit the demands of the driving task.
Of course, if you find yourself in a situation where your passengers tend to be dumbasses, you may be better off leaving them at home.
Let's face is, almost anyone that gets in my car with me is a dumbass...
Very good point though!
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