Do Mobile Phones Cause Car Accidents?
Photo: Car Accident
The jury is still out on this. While some studies, as well as common sense, suggest a connection between cell phone use and car accidents, accurate data is hard to gather because police seldom collect this information in accident reports. Studies and surveys often use self-reporting by drivers as a method of data collection. The problem here is obvious. Would you voluntarily report that you were using a cell phone at the time of an accident?
Some researchers are attempting to reduce this misclassification of data by cross-referencing phone bills and accident reports. By looking at the call times on phone bills and comparing them to accident reports, it is possible to establish a causal relationship between cell phones and auto accidents. Still, this method isn't perfect either, because it assumes that time data is accurate on both the bill and the accident report.
A 2001 survey conducted by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) indicates that at any given time, three percent of drivers are using cell phones (not hands-free types), which means roughly 500,000 people are driving and talking at any time during the week. While the NHTSA maintains that there appears to be an increased risk of being in an auto accident while talking on a cell phone, the magnitude of the problem cannot be estimated due to a lack of data. Many states are considering laws against cell phone use (handsets, not hands-free) by drivers, and New York has already passed legislation to that effect.
The NHTSA is still sorting the data out. In the meantime, we can all use a little common sense. Don't talk on your cell phone while driving unless you have a hands-free headset, and never send e-mail, check e-mail, or surf the Internet while driving (two percent of all drivers admit to doing this).
Insider insight: Using a hands-free headset while driving is a smart move. Even better is using a wireless headset .Several headsets are available that use Bluetooth networking technology to connect to your mobile phone. Using one of these headsets, you can place and answer calls without even taking your phone out of your purse or briefcase.
The headsets work best with phones that support voice dial and voice command. Bluetooth headsets will connect up to 30 feet away from your phone, and operate with both Bluetooth-enabled and non-Bluetooth phones (with an adapter). For added security, choose a headset that supports encryption.
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