Posted on 03/27/2014 6:16:19 PM PDT by Star Traveler
STAMFORD, Conn. (CBSNewYork) — Texting and driving is dangerous but a new survey finds talking on a cellphone while behind the wheel may be even worse.
As WCBS 880′s Paul Murnane reported from Stamford, the National Safety Council’s annual report found 26 percent of all crashes are tied to phone use, but noted just 5 percent involved texting. play
Safety advocates are lobbying now for a total ban on driver phone use, pointing to studies that headsets do not reduce drive distraction. Some motorists said they support the idea.
“Everybody’s on a telephone. If people do cut you off, you look and they’re talking on the telephone. I think they are a problem.” a driver told Murnane. “Hands-free or not.”
(Excerpt) Read more at newyork.cbslocal.com ...
“It is an epidemic.”
It is, and laws aren’t putting a dent in it - it is getting worse.
I have seen drivers with a newspaper spread out before them on the steering wheel. Really.
Since 1 in 3 drivers are on the phone, then using the phone must make them safer!
They will ban cell phones. Unless the NSA mandates them so they can track you easier.
There are already places that ban their use in cars, so that’s not new. I would imagine that banning “hands-free” would be a lot more difficult to enforce.
It’s not that there are necessarily “killer accidents” ... but accidents.
HOWEVER, I must say that my lack of accidents is probably making up for someone else’s increase in accidents ... :-) ...
I’ve found that I’m on AUTO-PILOT in those circumstances - and I have absolutely no recollection of the road, during that time. I could have been in a coma and I would have remembered as much of the road ... even though I “did drive it” ... :-) ...
I guess that’s a testament to safer cars, which shows us that all the safety measures instituted on our cars are working. I applaud them for that.
However, I personally don’t like accidents in general, not just “killer accidents”. I hate someone running into the rear end of my car and producing a big dent there ... :-) ...
No doubt texting is a real big factor. But I think you can add “talking” in there as a big factor, too - and I say that from my own personal experience.
I can assure you, from my own experience, that talking on the phone puts me into a COMA as far as the “road” is concerned. I can’t even tell you about a single thing that I drove past while talking on the phone ... :-) ...
Can’t you use your knees to steer? ... LOL ...
You’re exactly right. I can affirm this from personal experience.
You can do it and people actually do it, but they do it on AUTO-PILOT. I’ve clearly seen this from my own experience. So ... it’s not conducive to being a good defensive driver and avoiding “the other guy” when I see I’m “driving in a coma” while talking ... :-) ...
LOL ... “all on video buddy!”
I don’t dial while driving or fiddle with buttons. I do talk hands free.
To me it is no different than having a copilot. I think someone in this thread explained the difference between men and women talking while driving, saying women must look at who they’re talking to and men not so much while driving. I look straight ahead and focus at the prime job of driving. Back in the 20s there was a discussion about making radios illegal in cars as it was a distraction. If you can’t drive and talk to your passengers then you shouldn’t use the phone while driving. I fall into the talk and look straight ahead group. My calls are all short and too the point. On useless calls from family or friends I say “I’m driving...call you in a few minutes”
But hands pushing buttons texting while driving or reading a text is a definite no no.
I will ignore conversations in the car and I will ignore it, even if directed at me. Sometimes that makes people mad, but I don’t care ... :-) ...
I basically do not interact with people while I’m driving.
Than that is right for you, and is a good thing.
I came within inches of being rear-ended while waiting at a light. The other driver was a 20-something ditz in an old Honda.
After she somehow got her vehicle to stop, I looked back at her, and could see from her posture that she was texting.
I let her get past me and observed her for a while, and she was still working on that text as she continued on her way.
Very nearly getting in an accident didn’t distract her from her duty in the slightest.
For these people, there is nothing more important in their lives than answering a text instantly.
It’s my firm belief that if people did NOTHING BUT concentrate on driving as their 100% activity - we would probably cut accidents by 2/3! And, further, of people would be polite and also give themselves an adequate margin of error, plus know the rules of the road, we could cut it by another 20%.
I have driven for near 50 years. I have talked with people freely, sitting in the car. I have never had a conversation related accident. I won’t however fiddle with phone buttons or text while driving.
I don’t think I could drive for the four-five hours to get to my hunting camp with friends or family without BSing on the way up. I NEVER take my attention off driving. I can also chew gum and walk at the same time.
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