Cell phone driving bans. Countless initiatives to encourage us to “hang up and drive.” Is it all for naught?
New research from Carnegie Mellon University and the London School of Economics and Political Science shows that talking on a cellphone while driving doesn’t increase the risk of a crash. The study used data from a major cell phone provider and accident reports to find that the risk of a vehicle crash does not increase with cell phone use. It also questions the effectiveness of implementing cell phone driving bans for on-the-road safety.
According to a professor for Carnegie Mellon University, “using a cellphone while driving may be distracting, but it does not lead to higher crash risk in the setting we examined.” The study suggests that one reason may be that drivers may drive more carefully during a call to compensate for the distraction.
What about the increasing number of cell phone bans being enacted by states? The study showed that legislation prohibiting cell phones while driving had no effect on crash rates.
The study only focused on talking on a cell phone. Texting and surfing the internet behind the wheel were not taken into account. One of the researchers noted that, “it is certainly possible that these activities pose a real hazard.”
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While we don’t recommend using these while operating a vehicle, here are some cool apps to keep you occupied in your down time.
