Cell phones while driving

[vernard]

Believe it or not, I'm not that bothered by folks using cell phones while they are driving.I do it fairly often myself. Especialy when that 20 minute drive home from work becomes a 45 minute drive due to traffic.

However, what I do have a problem with is folks that don't use earsets/headsets when they are using the phone. Having to hold your phone to your ear for extended periods of time completely occupies one of your hands. And while its possible to drive one handed, there are a few studies that have shown that your ability to control the vehicle dramatically decreases in sudden stop or sudden turn situation (for some reason, 60% seems to spring to mind but I'm pulling that number out of nowhere). It also tires out your arm which can cause you to pay less attention to driving and more to the actual physical phone versus just your conversation on the phone.

So if you are going to talk on the phone in your car, get a handset. They are cheap. They go for as low as $10. The ones that plug into wireless land line phones usually work on cell phones as well so you can get a really comfortable non-earbud headset as well.

In the long run, none of us should use cell phones while driving but in the absence of that we can at least use a hands-free adapter of some sort.

Comments

[unixronin.livejournal.com]

There's a UK study which showed that even using a hands-free headset, using a cell phone while driving impairs your driving as much as one to two alcoholic drinks.

[vernard.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I've heard of them. In addition, there are a bunch of countries and states that put restrictions and out right bans on the use of cell phones while driving.

Makes you wonder why the cell phone companies don't push against it. Might help their money-grubbing image a bit.

[dwivian]

And yet studies show that using a cell phone either handsfree or handset, has nearly the same risk while driving....

Which is far less than talking to someone in the car, eating in the car, adjusting the radio, or adjusting the environmental controls.

In short, you're fine talking on the phone so long as you never eat, drink, or ferry passengers in your environmentally iffy car.

When they start making laws that say one-person-per-car, I'll consider a law against handset usage.

[weaktwos.livejournal.com]

I'm hoping more cars become bluetooth enabled, such that when you get a cell call to your bluetooth phone, you can answer it, the radio will mute, and you can hold a conversation without having to take your hands off the wheel at all.

[digi-tek.livejournal.com]

I think the On Star system uses a built in communications unit so you can call whom ever.
Also head sets would keep people from screwing up more, especially wireless ones.

[mightywombat.livejournal.com]

In NJ and NY it's illegal to use a cell phone without a handsfree device while you're driving. You can get a ticket for it. I almost did once, actually, but begged off on the "I'm new, I didn't know," clause. I'd also just made an illegal U-turn... Begged off of that on the "I'm lost and trying to get directions," clause.