January 18, 2009

  • Hands-free or not, I know that using a cellphone can be dangerous to use when driving, especially when text messaging. A recent study though puts things more in perspective.

    http://www.floridaduilawyerblog.com/2008/12/fort_lauderdale_ticket_lawyer.html

    "A recent British study found that texting while operating a motor vehicle is more dangerous than driving under the influence of marijuana or alcohol. Drivers are extremely distracted and, since eighty percent of accidents are already caused by distracted drivers, the texting often results in serious accidents. The study found that drivers with a blood alcohol content of 0.08 – the level at which intoxication is presumed for the purposes of a DUI arrest – have their reaction reduced by about 12 percent. Marijuana reduced reaction time by 21 percent. Surprisingly, completely sober drivers who engaged in text messaging showed the most severe reduction in reaction time at 35 percent, a delay nearly three times greater than that caused by alcohol. Interestingly, the study evaluated drivers who wrote or read text messages while operating a motor vehicle – indicating that even reading without pecking out responses may also pose a serious problem. Is the distraction caused by texting really so severe that it trumps DUI? This study indicates that the answer is yes."

    Imagine that. It's a lot more dangerous than even I imagined. It's not surprising that there are places out there that completely ban the use of cellphones (hands free or not) while driving.

    http://www.cellular-news.com/car_bans/