Talking on your cell phone behind the wheel quadruples accident risk
Talking on your cell phone behind the wheel quadruples accident risk
I hate to say it, but drivers who talk on their cell phones are a danger to themselves and others.
I hate to say it because I’m one of them. If I’m driving and I’ve got calls to make, I make the calls. And so far (knock wood), I’ve avoided smashing into things. But other driver/talkers are not so lucky.
According to a statistical analysis from researchers at The George Institute for International Health, drivers who talk on cell phones are four times more likely to have an accident that results in hospitalization than non-talkers.
Four times. Knock wood.
The study also found that the presence of car passengers increases accident risk.
- A driver with a single passenger in the car is nearly 60 percent more likely to have an accident than a driver with no passengers
- A driver with two or more passengers has twice the risk of an accident
As you might suspect, younger drivers are more easily distracted, and adding passengers and cell phone calls sharply increases their risk.
I’m sharing this information with you because I think it’s important to know. But I confess that it’s not going to change my calling habits while I drive – although I’ll definitely take extra care to focus on my driving while I’m talking.
Meanwhile, keep an eye out for your fellow driver/talkers. They might be negotiating a deal, getting some bad news, or sharing a good joke as they drift into oncoming lanes or cruise past a stop sign.
Source:
“Passengers and Cell Phones Dangerous to Drivers” Ivanhoe Newswire, 5/23/07, ivanhoe.com
