I won’t take the Oprah pledge against cell phones while driving
Oprah wants us to pledge to stay off our cell phones while we’re driving. Not me.
I understand the argument: While on the phone, drivers are more distracted and therefore more likely to get into a wreck. However, I don’t understand why this ban on conversations doesn’t apply to person-to-person communication. In fact, I’d guess that having a conversation with a passenger would be even more distracting than the cell phone variety. I’ve not heard of any efforts to ban conversations while driving. So, I doubt the validity of the claim that cell phone conversations are inherently dangerous.
I will vow to be careful while on the phone — and to use a headset or speakerphone whenever possible so that I can keep both hands on the wheel. But, I won’t take the vow to quit using the phone in the car.
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It probably has something to do with the results of this study:http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19102621"The results indicate that passenger conversations differ from cell phone conversations because the surrounding traffic not only becomes a topic of the conversation, helping driver and passenger to share situation awareness, but the driving condition also has a direct influence on the complexity of the conversation, thereby mitigating the potential negative effects of a conversation on driving."That said, I also intend to continue driving while talking on a cell phone using a wireless headset. Eschewing it might unduly interfere with my ability, and that of the object of my affections, to maintain an effective pair bond over long separations and great distances. We can't have that now, can we?
Having told us to vote for Barack Obama, she now wants to control our automotive telephony? Is there no end to her meddling?
I do think that the irresponsible use of cell phones while driving is a bad thing. Kids texting, looking in the purse to find the phone, anything that distracts. Personally, I hate using the cell phone in the car, I listen to the radio. There are very few instances that command my immediate attention or can't wait for me to park and devote 100% attention to. Y'all do what you will, I do support mandatory headsets or wireless telephone usage, and hope that passes in GA very soon. And I didn't ask Oprah if I could post this.
Okay, I’ll just post it to share with everyone:-)
From Wikipedia:
As compared to conversation with a passenger
The scientific literature is mixed on the dangers of talking on a cell phone versus those of talking with a passenger. The common conception is that passengers are able to better regulate conversation based on the perceived level of danger, therefore the risk is negligible. A study by a University of South Carolina psychology researcher featured in the journal, Experimental Psychology, found that planning to speak and speaking put far more demands on the brain’s resources than listening. Measurement of attention levels showed that subjects were four times more distracted while preparing to speak or speaking than when they were listening.[18] The Accident Research Unit at the University of Nottingham found that the number of utterances was usually higher for mobile calls when compared to blindfolded and non-blindfolded passengers across various driving conditions. The number of questions asked averaged slightly higher for mobile phone conversations, although results were not constant across road types and largely influenced by a large number of questions on the urban roads.[19] A 2004 University of Utah simulation study that compared passenger and cell-phone conversations concluded that the driver performs better when conversing with a passenger because the traffic and driving task become part of the conversation. Drivers holding conversations on cell phones were four times more likely to miss the highway exit than those with passengers, and drivers conversing with passengers showed no statistically significant difference from lone drivers in the simulator.[20] A study led by Andrew Parkes at the Transport Research Laboratory, also with a driving simulator, concluded that hands-free phone conversations impair driving performance more than other common in-vehicle distractions such as passenger conversations.[21]
In contrast, the University of Illinois meta-analysis concluded that passenger conversations were just as costly to driving performance as cell phone ones.[7] AAA ranks passengers as the third most reported cause of distraction-related accidents at 11 percent, compared to 1.5 percent for cellular telephones.[9] A simulation study funded by the American Transportation Research Board concluded that driving events that require urgent responses may be influenced by in-vehicle conversations, and that there is little practical evidence that passengers adjusted their conversations to changes in the traffic. It concluded that drivers’ training should address the hazards of both mobile phone and passenger conversations.[22]
Good stuff. Thanks, Elizabeth. I feel further validated. (Because I pay attention to research that buttresses my beliefs; and ignore research that doesn’t.)
When two or more people are in the same car and they are talking, there are two or more sets of eyes to be aware of the road. The study that Patty quotes says it all. Personally, as soon as I realize that someone is talking to me on their cell phone while driving, I ask that we continue the conversation later.Being fully aware of what all is going on around you while you are drives increases your ability to drive safely and make timely, appropriate decisions. As Lynn said, how many things can be SO important in your life that you are willing to split your attention from the task of driving.
I gave up using my cell phone in the car last year. I find that I have enough distractions as it is — I’m sure passing snacks to the back seat, mediating toddler conflicts, and starting the dvd player are probably all more dangrerous than talking on a cell phone. But I’ve found that I like being unavailable some of the time. It is a nice break. So I’m sticking with it.
The study Patty quotes says it all…multitasking behind a wheel really doesn't work.
It is getting to the point of when you can talk on the phone (finding the ringing phone, dialing the phone, etc.) that is distracting. Plus… how many times have you said “what is up with that driver,” only to find out when you pass them they are holding a phone and talking. I am a multi-tasker but I also know that with every task I take on, my attention to each task is diminished. Some humans cannot walk and chew gum, cannot talk and tie their shoes… I could go on but I think you get my point, as free as I want our world to be there has to be a degree of regulation. Will I sign this petition … no, will I write my congressperson…YES. Regulate but don’t ban cell phones.
I think distracted drivers have more to do with the drivers, rather than the cell phones. I would point out that other peer-reviewed studies show that inter-car conversations are far more likely to lead to distraction than cell phone conversations: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_phones_and_driving_safety#As_compared_to_conversation_with_a_passengerBut, I'm trying to avoid basing my belief on "science." To go off on a tangent, I think it's interesting that society is increasingly heading in that direction. I blogged about that here: http://mattjduffy.com/2009/03/the-religion-of-science/
I’m a big car/cellphone user. Scratch that. I was. I’m giving it up because Oprah told me to. I do what Oprah says. Maybe if she staged a “spontaneous” inspirational musical number featuring the Black Eyed Peas, you’d listen to her too, Matt. For the children, obey Oprah.
Yeah I understand the argument to but I’ll be damned if I’m not going to use my cell while driving. I’m not stupid enough to try to text while driving, I mean damn its a phone why would i text when i could call. But I’m not going to pay for a bunch of stupid people’s mistake either. Just because they have somebody who they left behind. So what. People die of all sorts of thing everyday and you don’t see that stuff getting taken away. This coming from somebody to who probably rides around in a limo all day and can use her cell any damn time she pleases. It’s like this. If you screw up, you pay but this country is already Bi Communist as it is. Stop making everyone pay for a few dumb peoples mistakes. How about make the phone companies make all text phones with a gps device that knows when your going over 5 mph (it can be done) and then people cant text while driving.
Take politics and your own personal feelings out of this!
I work in the Driver distraction field and I can tell you that there is clear conscenus that talking on a cell phone while driving (either hands-free or hand-held), or text messaging is very dangerous and puts you and other innocent road users at risk.
The scientific researchers are certain of this – it is because stupid politicians and people who do not want to stop using their cell phones use the data to twist it to their own means – just like global warming.
So stop using your cell phone while driving and think of other people!