Drivers tied to their cellphones despite dangers

 Posted on December 12, 2012 in Car Accidents

Distracted driving is one most common causes of car accidents in the U.S. The increased use of technology and Americans constantly having their cellphones nearby has only made distracted driving more dangerous.

A new study by the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers researched just how much cellphones are used in everyday life. The findings were not all that surprising but the impact it has on distracted driving has caused reason for concern.

The study found that 70 percent of Americans have their cellphone within reach at all times, including when they are sleeping. Sixty-one percent of Americans check their cellphones every hour. The scariest finding: 90 percent of American drivers keep their cellphone in their hand, lap, cup holder or passenger seat while they drive.

With cellphones being so widely used by drivers, what exactly are drives using their cellphones for? The study found that 33 percent of drivers use their cellphone to search the web, 30 percent are sending or receiving text messages and 67 percent are using GPS or navigation programs on their phone while they drive.

Cellphone use is the main contributing factor in distracted driving accidents. While many Americans acknowledge and understand the dangers of distracted driving, they still continue to use their cellphones while driving.

Federal regulators have tried to reduce distracted driving accidents by proposing a national ban on cellphone use. However, the federal government doesn't have the power to ban cellphone use for everyone. That is up to each individual state.

This study proves just how much cellphone use impacts driving. Distracted driving is a threat to everyone on the road so drivers should be aware of their own cellphone use and how it contributes to their driving behavior.

Source: The Wall Street Journal, "Two Hands on the - Phone? Industry Study Looks at Driver Distraction," Christina Rogers, Dec. 5, 2012

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