Cell Phones and Driving Safety

With over 100 million mobile phones in use in the United States alone, it’s not uncommon to see more and more drivers using their time driving to conduct business and personal affairs on their cell phones or PDAs. While it may seem like a good idea to make use of that time, dialing, discussing and answering the phone affect a driver’s ability to properly respond to typical road conditions.

Many studies have shown that cell phone users are four to five times more likely to get into traffic accidents than those who do not use them. In 2003, inattentive driving accounted for 6.4 percent of crash fatalities, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.

A study carried out on a driving simulator at Aston University, Birmingham found that it is not so much the device itself that causes the problem, but the conversation and the degree to which a driver becomes involved in it.

Precautions and Safety Tips

While avoiding the use of a cell phone when driving is considered to be the best and safest option, there are times when we can’t help but attend to the calls. In such situations, you should follow certain guidelines and and always make driving safely your top priority.

Here are a few basic safety tips:

• Keep your eyes on the road – get to know your phone’s features. Read your user’s manual and learn to operate it without having to look at it. If you memorize the keypad and the location of all the controls, you can press the buttons you need without ever taking your eyes off the road. When available, use auto answer or voice-activated dialing.
  
  
• Practice off-road - if your phone is new, practice using it. This will make you feel more comfortable and secure using your mobile phone when you are driving.
  
  
• Use a hands-free model - hands-free phones let you keep both hands on the wheel while you talk on the phone. You should prepare the phone and phone accessories before starting your trip. Trying to find components, putting on a headset or changing the settings on the phone while driving increase the danger.
  
  Bluetooth car kits provide a safe and convenient solution to keeping your eyes on the road while carrying on a conversation.
  
  
• Stay in your lane - don't get so wrapped up in a conversation that you drift into the other lane. Drive in the right-hand lane so you only have to worry about traffic to the left.
  
  
• Never dial while driving - use the speed dial or redial feature of your cell phone for easy, one-touch dialing. And if you require to dial manually, do so only when the vehicle is not in motion.
  
  
• Take a message - allow the voice mail to pick up your calls in unpredictable driving conditions. It's easier to retrieve your messages later on.
  
  
• Know when to end the conversation - keep conversations brief so you can concentrate on your driving. If a long discussion is required, if the topic is stressful or emotional, or if driving becomes hazardous, end your call and continue when you're not in traffic. Pull over if you can.
  
  
• Keep your phone in its holder - make sure your phone is securely stowed in its car holder when it is not in use. Position your cell phone car holder so that your cell phone is within easy reach, but be careful that the mounting brackets don’t interfere with your car’s safety features, such as airbags.

Recent developments in cell phone technology including voice-activated dialing, built-in phones, wireless headsets, speaker phones, and cell phone car kits can help drivers concentrate on the road while on the phone.

But be aware: hands-free does not necessarily mean risk-free. Hands-free phones free you from having to physically operate the phone, but they don't reduce your need to think about the phone conversation, which can be distracting.