Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community - View Single Post - Cellphone or not, still distracted, still crappy drivers

Cynthetiq · 07-03-2003, 10:35 AM

Driving Themselves to Distraction
By Elisa Batista
Story location: http://www.wired.com/news/wireless/0,1382,59478,00.html

02:00 AM Jul. 03, 2003 PT

It's no secret that driving while talking on a cell phone can be hazardous, but the danger may not let up even when the yakking stops, according to a recent study.

In a national survey conducted last month, Response Insurance of Meriden, Connecticut, found that cell-phone users -- even when they weren't talking on their phones in the car -- are more likely than other drivers to be distracted from the road.

The study suggests that cell-phone users who regularly talk on the phone while driving pose a greater risk than drivers who do not, the company said.

The results also imply that cell-phone-using drivers may be more predisposed to be a "distracted driver personality type behind the wheel" than drivers who never talk on the phone while on the road, said Response spokesman Ray Palermo.

"We're somewhat surprised by these results," said Palermo. "It could point to the fact that there is a certain type of driver that is already more likely to be distracted."

For its study, Response asked a group of 1,046 people to answer a series of questions while they were behind the wheel. The idea was to see which questions, if any, seemed to distract the participants from concentrating on the road.

Roughly half of the study's participants had used their cell phones while driving, and 420 of them said they had never done so. None of them was talking on the phone while the study was conducted.

Response found that those who admitted to using cell phones while driving were 56 percent more likely to be distracted behind the wheel while thinking about what to eat than drivers who had never talked on the phone while driving.

The yakking drivers were also:

• 36 percent more likely to be distracted while thinking about relationship issues
• 32 percent more likely to be distracted when thinking about their jobs
• 27 percent more likely to be distracted when thinking about health concerns
• 21 percent more likely to be distracted when thinking about family issues
• 19 percent more likely to be distracted when thinking about paying their bills

Advocates for safe driving were not surprised by the inattention displayed by cell-phone users in the study.

Lisa Sheikh, executive director of the Partnership for Safe Driving, said most people talk on their phones while driving to alleviate boredom.

"I am sure there is a good percentage of the population that is just hyperactive people," she said. "It's hard for them to sit still and drive because it's boring ... it's not because they have a call to tend to or business to conduct. Their entertainment is to talk on their cell phones while they drive."

Still, one group took issue with the recent study: the cell-phone industry.

"There are 147 million cell-phone users in the U.S.," said Kimberly Kuo, spokeswoman for the Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association. "So I find it hard to understand how they would all have a similar personality. I have never seen anything to corroborate that study."

If, as the survey suggests, certain people are more likely to be distracted behind the wheel, then recent attention paid to cell-phone use on the road may be missing the larger issue of driver inattention, Response chairman Mory Katz said.

"Our analysis points to what could be a chronic inattentiveness problem for a specific group of drivers," Katz said. "We hope this information sets the stage for additional research and much more driver education in this area."

Palermo said the study's findings won't prompt his company to change its insurance policy to single out people who use their cell phones while they drive.

That said, he remains intolerant of anyone who drives while chatting on the phone.

"If you are behind the wheel driving 60 miles an hour with three tons of steel under you," Palermo said, "you shouldn't also be reading, drinking a cup of coffee and doing tons of things at once."

----

IMO it seems like people just suck at driving period. It's amazing that people forget that they are in a object of considerable mass traveling at a substatial velocity, and take it lightly enough to do things like apply makeup, read the paper, dunk a doughnut into their coffee, etc.

To say that someone who is a demographic "cellphone user" is more apt to have accidents it just inane. I don't see how they did this study but the axiom correlation does not imply causation.

07-03-2003, 10:35 AM	#1 (permalink)
Cynthetiq Tilted Cat Head Administrator Location: Manhattan, NY	Cellphone or not, still distracted, still crappy drivers Driving Themselves to Distraction By Elisa Batista Story location: http://www.wired.com/news/wireless/0,1382,59478,00.html 02:00 AM Jul. 03, 2003 PT It's no secret that driving while talking on a cell phone can be hazardous, but the danger may not let up even when the yakking stops, according to a recent study. In a national survey conducted last month, Response Insurance of Meriden, Connecticut, found that cell-phone users -- even when they weren't talking on their phones in the car -- are more likely than other drivers to be distracted from the road. The study suggests that cell-phone users who regularly talk on the phone while driving pose a greater risk than drivers who do not, the company said. The results also imply that cell-phone-using drivers may be more predisposed to be a "distracted driver personality type behind the wheel" than drivers who never talk on the phone while on the road, said Response spokesman Ray Palermo. "We're somewhat surprised by these results," said Palermo. "It could point to the fact that there is a certain type of driver that is already more likely to be distracted." For its study, Response asked a group of 1,046 people to answer a series of questions while they were behind the wheel. The idea was to see which questions, if any, seemed to distract the participants from concentrating on the road. Roughly half of the study's participants had used their cell phones while driving, and 420 of them said they had never done so. None of them was talking on the phone while the study was conducted. Response found that those who admitted to using cell phones while driving were 56 percent more likely to be distracted behind the wheel while thinking about what to eat than drivers who had never talked on the phone while driving. The yakking drivers were also: • 36 percent more likely to be distracted while thinking about relationship issues • 32 percent more likely to be distracted when thinking about their jobs • 27 percent more likely to be distracted when thinking about health concerns • 21 percent more likely to be distracted when thinking about family issues • 19 percent more likely to be distracted when thinking about paying their bills Advocates for safe driving were not surprised by the inattention displayed by cell-phone users in the study. Lisa Sheikh, executive director of the Partnership for Safe Driving, said most people talk on their phones while driving to alleviate boredom. "I am sure there is a good percentage of the population that is just hyperactive people," she said. "It's hard for them to sit still and drive because it's boring ... it's not because they have a call to tend to or business to conduct. Their entertainment is to talk on their cell phones while they drive." Still, one group took issue with the recent study: the cell-phone industry. "There are 147 million cell-phone users in the U.S.," said Kimberly Kuo, spokeswoman for the Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association. "So I find it hard to understand how they would all have a similar personality. I have never seen anything to corroborate that study." If, as the survey suggests, certain people are more likely to be distracted behind the wheel, then recent attention paid to cell-phone use on the road may be missing the larger issue of driver inattention, Response chairman Mory Katz said. "Our analysis points to what could be a chronic inattentiveness problem for a specific group of drivers," Katz said. "We hope this information sets the stage for additional research and much more driver education in this area." Palermo said the study's findings won't prompt his company to change its insurance policy to single out people who use their cell phones while they drive. That said, he remains intolerant of anyone who drives while chatting on the phone. "If you are behind the wheel driving 60 miles an hour with three tons of steel under you," Palermo said, "you shouldn't also be reading, drinking a cup of coffee and doing tons of things at once." ---- IMO it seems like people just suck at driving period. It's amazing that people forget that they are in a object of considerable mass traveling at a substatial velocity, and take it lightly enough to do things like apply makeup, read the paper, dunk a doughnut into their coffee, etc. To say that someone who is a demographic "cellphone user" is more apt to have accidents it just inane. I don't see how they did this study but the axiom correlation does not imply causation. __________________ I don't care if you are black, white, purple, green, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, hippie, cop, bum, admin, user, English, Irish, French, Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, indian, cowboy, tall, short, fat, skinny, emo, punk, mod, rocker, straight, gay, lesbian, jock, nerd, geek, Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Independent, driver, pedestrian, or bicyclist, either you're an asshole or you're not. What's the best nation in the world? DO-NATION!