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I'm writing a research article on driving distractions. I'm specifically focusing on the percieved risk of using a cellphone while driving.
If you use your phone while driving and would like to contribute, please respond to the following questions..

1) Do you consider the time saved by multitasking behind the wheel vital to your carrer or livelihood?

2) In your opinion, is your ability to drive safely hampered by talking on the phone? Explain.

3) Have you ever had a "near-hit" (or an accident) while driving and using your cellphone? If so, did you consider the cell-phone to be a contributory factor?

4) What is your impression of the media's response to the issue of distracted driving?
Is the risk blown out of proportion?

5) Are the current laws regulating the use of cell phones behind the wheel too strict, or is further legal action needed?

SPECIAL NOTE: >>> If you wish to be identified as a source, please include your full name, age and city of residence. <<<

Thanks for your time.

 

I like to call up my bitches while holding a drift on the off ramp of the highway! I'm so cool.


Honestly, I try not to. But I do...but rarely.

 

Rarely, but if I do, Bluetooth headset :usa:

1) Do you consider the time saved by multitasking behind the wheel vital to your carrer or livelihood?

No.

2) In your opinion, is your ability to drive safely hampered by talking on the phone? Explain.

I believe so. I've seen numerous cars swerve all over the road, regardless of the fact there is a hands-free device being used. Concentration is not 100% on the road.

3) Have you ever had a "near-miss" (or an accident) while driving and using your cellphone? If so, did you consider the cell-phone to be a contributory factor?

Personally No, however, there were a few "near-miss" hits towards me from other drivers talking on cell phones.

4) What is your impression of the media's response to the issue of distracted driving?
Is the risk blown out of proportion?

Media focuses on hands-free devices, I think they are making that the issue, rather than speaking on the phone in general.

5) Are the current laws regulating the use of cell phones behind the wheel too strict, or is further legal action needed?

Strict? No. It is not enforced enough.

 

1) I never considered talking on the phone while driving as time saving. I'm the kind of person that doesn't chit chat for hours, I say what I want to say and hang up. I also never really just call someone at random while driving, most calls I have are when someone calls me.

2)No. But, there are plenty of people out there that don't know how to drive and talk on the phone at the same time. I'll put the phone down or be super cautious when changing lanes if I'm on the phone.

3)No.

4)I think the media is correct on targeting people who talk on cell phones. Most people don't know how to multitask and think the phone is priority as compared to keeping their eyes on the road.

5)I don't think the laws are too strict. Where I live there isn't a law in place, or it's not enforced. I think everyone should be limited to a hands free system.

Randy Green
26
Virginia Beach, VA

 

1 no
2 yes. one more distraction from the road and surroundings i should be paying attn to
3 no
4 i am behind on the media's views (dont watch the news too often)
5 too sporadic. only some cities ban the use of cell phones while driving and make it a ticketable offense. i think it should be all or nothing, like seat belts. but areas like socal and SF should be considered special cases because of their heavy traffic

charlie wang
26
hacienda heights, ca

 

PS. a "near miss" is a hit. A near hit is a miss. It's a common mistake.

 

1) Do you consider the time saved by multitasking behind the wheel vital to your carrer or livelihood? No.

2) In your opinion, is your ability to drive safely hampered by talking on the phone? Explain. No. I am capable of driving and talking at the same time since i know that driving is the higher priority.

3) Have you ever had a "near-miss" (or an accident) while driving and using your cellphone? If so, did you consider the cell-phone to be a contributory factor? not due to my driving, but other people have attempted to kill me because they were on their phones

4) What is your impression of the media's response to the issue of distracted driving?
Is the risk blown out of proportion? i definitely think it's an issue not to be taken lightly. distracted drivers can be extremely dangerous. i made a thread a while back about a person driving in a saturn who was obviously distracted and ran straight through a red light in the middle of rush hour traffic. who knows who could have been hurt or killed because of it.

5) Are the current laws regulating the use of cell phones behind the wheel too strict, or is further legal action needed? the law i've heard of around here is that if a cop sees you swerving or not driving safely and you're on the phone, they can pull you over. i think that's a good way of doing it, because i don't want to get pulled over while on my phone if i'm driving no differently than when i'm not on the phone. i think in order for them to be able to pull just anyone driving while on the phone would be ludicrous. the thing to do would be to make every car manufacturer and every phone manufacturer make bluetooth a standard feature so hands-free capability is always available.

Robert Mills, 24, Cypress CA

 

1) Do you consider the time saved by multitasking behind the wheel vital to your carrer or livelihood?
no

2) In your opinion, is your ability to drive safely hampered by talking on the phone? Explain.
yes. I've seen many 1st hand instances where I'll follow a perfectly fine driver on the highway. Suddenly, there's a drastic change in their style. Speed slows, the car crosses lane lines, no turnsignals when moving ... I'll then pass the driver to notice, they're now on a phone.

3) Have you ever had a "near-miss" (or an accident) while driving and using your cellphone? If so, did you consider the cell-phone to be a contributory factor?
No. If I have to use my cellphone while driving, I make sure to concentrate harder on driving. I tend not to have full conversations and limit conversations to "yes" or "no"

4) What is your impression of the media's response to the issue of distracted driving?
Is the risk blown out of proportion?
No. I've seen studies where a person on their cellphone has the same reaction time as a drunk driver.

5) Are the current laws regulating the use of cell phones behind the wheel too strict, or is further legal action needed?
Cell phones should be banned when driving.

 

Jae Scott
21
Philadelphia, Pistolvania :chuckles:

1.Do you consider the time saved by multitasking behind the wheel vital to your carrer or livelihood? I dont really think about it. Most of the time when im behind the wheel and im on the phone its because someone calls me or something i remembered to talk to somebody about pops up and i make that phone call.

2.In your opinion, is your ability to drive safely hampered by talking on the phone? Explain. No. None of my phone calls have ever gotten to the point where its hampered my driving skills and if it was i would immediately hang up on the person to keep my head where its suppose to be. I find the radio more of a problem then anything.

3. Have you ever had a "near-miss" (or an accident) while driving and using your cellphone? If so, did you consider the cell-phone to be a contributory factor? No, All my near-miss or accidents came from me fiddling with the radion or trying to find a cd.

4.What is your impression of the media's response to the issue of distracted driving? I mean I do see alot of people who are not paying close attention to the road is because they are on the phone. But then you have the idiots who decide of holding a conversation over the phone they prefer to send text messages and what not and thats if you ask me is how alot of accidents occur. I know a girl where in every accident she's been in was because she was sending someone a text message.
Is the risk blown out of proportion? The media blows everything out of proportion. A lil kid could fall off of his big wheel and the media would put that on the front page news. I agree it is something that should be addressed. But at the same time i feel its something that shouldnt be blown up so bigly.

5. Are the current laws regulating the use of cell phones behind the wheel too strict, or is further legal action needed? I think its fair enough. Each state has there laws. Here in philly there isnt really a big law but i know in places such as florida and jersey, you are not permitted to drive and hold the phone to your ear at the same time. But if you were to ask me..Its more of the cellphone conversation rather then the person with the phone to the ear...I drive with one hand on the wheel all the time with a person in the car...whats the difference between that and someone driving while being on the phone.


I hope this helps you out Davey

 

I only rarely talk on the phone while driving. If I have the top up I will occasionally talk with a headset. But with the top down whoever I'm talking to can't hear me over the wind noise at anything over about 25 mph.
No.
Moreso if I don't use the handsfree, because I need one hand to shift and another to steer.
Nope
From what I've seen they tend to report mainly on any new laws about the subject but don't really editorialize about what needs to be done.
I don't really know what the current laws are in every state, but I do know they vary by state. Not sure how I feel about an all-out ban on talking on a cell phone, but at least requiring a handsfree would be a good idea. The thing is, if someone has to take out their phone, fiddle around their car trying to find their handsfree, try to plug it into the phone and then hook it into their ear, that's a pretty big distraction too. So who knows.
Michael Atlas, 22, Madison, WI