I agree with Mike. Conversations with other people in the car can also be a significant distraction. However, to be honest, what concerns me most are smart phones. I live off of my Blackberry Storm. When it "dings" I am very tempted to check the email message 'cause it might be important and I need to respond (I work with people and sometimes need to make quick responses). For me, I need to continue to discipline myself to not let it be a distraction. But its not just email and texting, with the smart phones it can be searching for music, using the navigation software, checking on your fantasy sports team or checking your FarmTown on Facebook. We have to learn to be disciplined, as in so many things in life, to focus on the primary job at hand. Driving is dangerous in and of itself. And we should be ok with having others hold us accountable to safe driving technology. Maybe we need more pull-off spots on the freeways...call them "Cell Phone Spots" or something.
Mike - 15 years ago
once upon a time, windshield wipers were considered a distraction, then we got used to it. Radios are also a distraction, and even was the cause for an accident that was my fault (25 years ago). Still, there's no clamouring to get rid of radios. Food from the drive-thru can be just as much a distraction if not more so, so if we ban phones we should ban drive thru too.
I agree that for most, texting while driving can be dangerous and should be discouraged, but passing a law against it will only make people hold their phones below the window level, making it more dangerous.
As for regular talking on the cell phone, some of us CAN focus primarily on driving while maintaining a secondary focus on the phone.
Sara - 15 years ago
I don't ever make outgoing calls on a cell phone while driving. If someone calls me that I want to talk to while I'm driving, I will pick up but I will usually ask I can call them back and tell them that I'm driving.
JM - 15 years ago
If we don't spend money on these studies then how will those University professors get their monies? :p
Amy - 15 years ago
It is just common sense that using a cell phone while driving is a distraction. Do we really need a poll to tell us this? Come on ppl use your common sense!!
I agree with Mike. Conversations with other people in the car can also be a significant distraction. However, to be honest, what concerns me most are smart phones. I live off of my Blackberry Storm. When it "dings" I am very tempted to check the email message 'cause it might be important and I need to respond (I work with people and sometimes need to make quick responses). For me, I need to continue to discipline myself to not let it be a distraction. But its not just email and texting, with the smart phones it can be searching for music, using the navigation software, checking on your fantasy sports team or checking your FarmTown on Facebook. We have to learn to be disciplined, as in so many things in life, to focus on the primary job at hand. Driving is dangerous in and of itself. And we should be ok with having others hold us accountable to safe driving technology. Maybe we need more pull-off spots on the freeways...call them "Cell Phone Spots" or something.
once upon a time, windshield wipers were considered a distraction, then we got used to it. Radios are also a distraction, and even was the cause for an accident that was my fault (25 years ago). Still, there's no clamouring to get rid of radios. Food from the drive-thru can be just as much a distraction if not more so, so if we ban phones we should ban drive thru too.
I agree that for most, texting while driving can be dangerous and should be discouraged, but passing a law against it will only make people hold their phones below the window level, making it more dangerous.
As for regular talking on the cell phone, some of us CAN focus primarily on driving while maintaining a secondary focus on the phone.
I don't ever make outgoing calls on a cell phone while driving. If someone calls me that I want to talk to while I'm driving, I will pick up but I will usually ask I can call them back and tell them that I'm driving.
If we don't spend money on these studies then how will those University professors get their monies? :p
It is just common sense that using a cell phone while driving is a distraction. Do we really need a poll to tell us this? Come on ppl use your common sense!!