An article in the New York Times looks at the dangers of text messaging while driving. The (overly?) lengthy report suggests that this growing trend is as dangerous as driving intoxicated and has already taken several lives in car accidents.
Extensive research shows the dangers of distracted driving. Studies say that drivers using phones are four times as likely to cause a crash as other drivers, and the likelihood that they will crash is equal to that of someone with a .08 percent blood alcohol level, the point at which drivers are generally considered intoxicated. Research also shows that hands-free devices do not eliminate the risks, and may worsen them by suggesting that the behavior is safe.
There’s an interesting insight into why people want to use them at the wheel. A quote from a lawmaker suggests that we are trying to overlay our hyper-connected digital lives on our lengthy dead time behind the wheel:
“I’m on the phone from when I leave the Capitol to when I get home, and that’s a two-hour drive,” said Tad Jones, the majority floor leader in the Oklahoma House, who helped block the legislation [to ban phone use while driving]. “A lot of people who travel are used to using the phone.”
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I’ll agree with the statement that driving while texting is particularly dangerous (have you seen Seven Pounds?) But outright banning of phone usage is a bit much. I try not to talk on the phone when I’m driving if I don’t have my earbuds (iPhone). But when I do have my earbuds, there shouldn’t be any reason for me not to be able to do it.
If anything, this should expedite research into cars that drive themselves. Because if they feel that any phone usage is dangerous while driving, then speech-to-text messaging isn’t going make us any safer. Therefore, we need cars that drive themselves.
July 20th, 2009 at 11:07 am