Text messaging a top safety concern while driving

[Tony The Bot]

Text messaging a top safety concern while driving
Posted via Canadian Content

The CAA or the Canadian Automobile Association has now decided that text messaging has become a larger problem behind the wheel than drinking alcohol.

Around 88% of 6,000 people surveyed ranked texting while driving a "very serious" problem while 83% had the same to say about drinking alcohol.

The issue may come from the fact that 7 provincial governments across the country have outlawed talking on the mobile phone while driving several months ago.

Ian Jack, a CAA spokesman said “It’s part of Canadian culture now that, for almost everyone, you don’t get impaired and get behind the wheel of a car. The message hasn’t sunk in yet that it’s a really bad idea to be looking at your wireless device while driving.”

Talking on the phone actually ranked a lot lower on the list of concerns where only 65% of those surveyed view it as a very serious threat on the roads. Driving while tired was viewed by 61% as a large concern and speeding at 51%.


Original Article: http://www.canadiancontent.net/commtr/text-messaging-top-safety-concern-driving_1039.html

 

[Praxius]

Well considering at least the drunk has his crossed eyes on the road for longer and texting and talking on a cell while driving occurs a lot more then drinking and driving....... AND it's happening all hours of the day that you see people driving an extended distance while looking down, everywhere you go..... technically speaking, it is a bit more of a serious concern.

The % does make sense, but regardless, both are still seriously high and are concerns for many.


Listening to the stereo/radio, talking to people in the car are not that much of a concern, because you have your eyes and hands still free..... holding a phone in one hand by your ear or texting in your lap not only reduces your reflex time simply by having to let go of the phone and grabbing the wheel...... but looking away from the road and your surroundings, especially during the day when more people are out, is even worse.


When you're driving, even if it's work, ffs, use a blue tooth, or don't pick up the phone.... pull over and answer or wait until you're done driving and see who tried to get a hold of you.


Them waiting a couple of minutes for you to get back to them isn't as important as getting to your destination safely and without damaging, injuring or killing anything or anyone.


Unless you're in the middle of defusing a bomb and the guy on the other line has codes for you.... keep driving.

 

[JLM]

Well considering at least the drunk has his crossed eyes on the road for longer and texting and talking on a cell while driving occurs a lot more then drinking and driving....... AND it's happening all hours of the day that you see people driving an extended distance while looking down, everywhere you go..... technically speaking, it is a bit more of a serious concern.

The % does make sense, but regardless, both are still seriously high and are concerns for many.


Listening to the stereo/radio, talking to people in the car are not that much of a concern, because you have your eyes and hands still free..... holding a phone in one hand by your ear or texting in your lap not only reduces your reflex time simply by having to let go of the phone and grabbing the wheel...... but looking away from the road and your surroundings, especially during the day when more people are out, is even worse.


When you're driving, even if it's work, ffs, use a blue tooth, or don't pick up the phone.... pull over and answer or wait until you're done driving and see who tried to get a hold of you.


Them waiting a couple of minutes for you to get back to them isn't as important as getting to your destination safely and without damaging, injuring or killing anything or anyone.


Unless you're in the middle of defusing a bomb and the guy on the other line has codes for you.... keep driving.

Between texting and impaired (by alcohol) driving it's no contest. Being impaired doesn't preclude paying close attention to driving or driving according to the impairment and compensating. While texting you are clearly not paying attention to driving. The afore stated in no way should be construed to condone impaired driving.

 

[Dexter Sinister]

And as usual the media, the marketers, and the politicians, have misunderstood the science and created dumb and unnecessary rules. Driving while holding a cell phone to your ear, driving while texting, and driving while using a hands-free connection like a wired headset/microphone or wireless, are effectively the same in terms of driver distraction. It's the conversation with somebody who's not present in the vehicle that does it, not how you have the conversation. There was no need to change the law, and by allowing hands-free conversations they've done effectively nothing. All that was necessary was an information campaign to tell people that those activities will be considered as driving without due care and attention, and possibly an adjustment to the definition in the regulations, that's really what the offense is.

 

[JLM]

And as usual the media, the marketers, and the politicians, have misunderstood the science and created dumb and unnecessary rules. Driving while holding a cell phone to your ear, driving while texting, and driving while using a hands-free connection like a wired headset/microphone or wireless, are effectively the same in terms of driver distraction. It's the conversation with somebody who's not present in the vehicle that does it, not how you have the conversation. There was no need to change the law, and by allowing hands-free conversations they've done effectively nothing. All that was necessary was an information campaign to tell people that those activities will be considered as driving without due care and attention, and possibly an adjustment to the definition in the regulations, that's really what the offense is.

Exactly, hands free is a joke- it's where your mind is not your hands.

 

[Praxius]

Between texting and impaired (by alcohol) driving it's no contest. Being impaired doesn't preclude paying close attention to driving or driving according to the impairment and compensating. While texting you are clearly not paying attention to driving. The afore stated in no way should be construed to condone impaired driving.

Show me where I "Condoned" impaired driving..... I clearly stated that both are still pretty high and considered serious concerns by the general public.

I just stated that I can understand how many could consider phone distraction and texting as being just slightly worse then impaired driving...... they're both still worse, no matter how you try and sugar coat one or the other.

Next time read what I posted before responding to what I posted.

 

[JLM]

Show me where I "Condoned" impaired driving..... I clearly stated that both are still pretty high and considered serious concerns by the general public.

I just stated that I can understand how many could consider phone distraction and texting as being just slightly worse then impaired driving...... they're both still worse, no matter how you try and sugar coat one or the other.

Next time read what I posted before responding to what I posted.

I don't recall doing that. :smile:

 

[Praxius]

And as usual the media, the marketers, and the politicians, have misunderstood the science and created dumb and unnecessary rules. Driving while holding a cell phone to your ear, driving while texting, and driving while using a hands-free connection like a wired headset/microphone or wireless, are effectively the same in terms of driver distraction.

No they're not.... wireless/blue tooth allows you to still have both hands on the wheel.... the others do not, and whether you considering the slower reaction/response time to get your hand from your phone to the wheel as a distraction or not..... call it whatever, it's still not safe and it's still not wise.

In the last 5 years I've almost got hit by several cars where 5 of them I could clearly see the idiot driver either yapping their asses off on a cell phone or looking down texting..... where in normal circumstances, they would have seen me, seen I had the right away and would have stopped as they should have...... or they would have noticed that I was crossing the sidewalk while their concern was spent on their cell phone talking and looking to the left the whole time, while never looking right where I was coming from.

Obviously I was smart enough not to plow past their trucks/cars, but I did inch close enough to them so that they grazed me when they drove off, scaring the sh*t out of a couple of them..... perhaps they might have learned, but I doubt it.

It's the conversation with somebody who's not present in the vehicle that does it, not how you have the conversation. There was no need to change the law, and by allowing hands-free conversations they've done effectively nothing. All that was necessary was an information campaign to tell people that those activities will be considered as driving without due care and attention, and possibly an adjustment to the definition in the regulations, that's really what the offense is.

How is talking to someone on a phone/blue tooth with your hands free any different then talking to someone who's sitting right beside or behind you with your hands free?

I don't recall doing that. :smile:

Based on you quoting what I posted and how you worded your response to my quote and ending with the words "The afore stated in no way should be construed to condone impaired driving." ..... one can only assume so much and it sounded like you were using what I said as your example.

 

[Dexter Sinister]

How is talking to someone on a phone/blue tooth with your hands free any different then talking to someone who's sitting right beside or behind you with your hands free?

It's psychologically a different process talking to someone who's present and someone on a phone, hands-free is no safer. Hands-Free Cell Phones: Are They Any Safer for Drivers?, driving distractions, cell phone distractions statistics, mobile phone safety, cell phone driving laws, safety behind the wheel while using cell phone -- ROAD & TRAVEL Magazine

 

[Unforgiven]

Not to be overshadowed, texting while drinking can have some grave consequences as well!

 

[karrie]

Hubby's company pulled all handsfree phones from their vehicles years ago because the studies proved it's no better than holding the phone to your ear for distraction. If it were merely having your hands on the wheel that's the issue, you'd be ticketed for not maintaining both hands on the wheel at all times in a vehicle. But it's not.

Text messaging though takes it to a whole new level, as not only does it occupy your mind, it occupies your hands AND your eyes as well. Nothing quite as scary as watching someone make a left hand turn across two lanes of oncoming traffic without looking up once.

Not to be overshadowed, texting while drinking can have some grave consequences as well!

You forgot the ultimate in multi-tasking... texting while drunk, talking on your blue tooth, reading your Kindle, and getting a blow job.

 

[JLM]

Show me where I "Condoned" impaired driving..... I clearly stated that both are still pretty high and considered serious concerns by the general public.

I just stated that I can understand how many could consider phone distraction and texting as being just slightly worse then impaired driving...... they're both still worse, no matter how you try and sugar coat one or the other.

Next time read what I posted before responding to what I posted.

The problem with you is you are just too gung ho to make an issue of something where there isn't one. What I said was to reinforce what you said, not take issue with it. :smile:

You forgot the ultimate in multi-tasking... texting while drunk, talking on your blue tooth, reading your Kindle, and getting a blow job.

Yep those blow jobs can take your mind off things. :lol:

 

[karrie]

Show me where I "Condoned" impaired driving.....

I read it as him echoing what you said, but saying not to take his statement as condoning impaired driving.

 

[JLM]

I read it as him echoing what you said, but saying not to take his statement as condoning impaired driving.

You have the right take on it, Karrie, just exactly as I meant it. You're wise beyond your years. :smile:

 

[Praxius]

It's psychologically a different process talking to someone who's present and someone on a phone, hands-free is no safer. Hands-Free Cell Phones: Are They Any Safer for Drivers?, driving distractions, cell phone distractions statistics, mobile phone safety, cell phone driving laws, safety behind the wheel while using cell phone -- ROAD & TRAVEL Magazine

The only difference I see is that when on the phone, you don't see the face of the person you're talking to...... but if you're driving and someone is in the car with you, you shouldn't be looking at their face in the first place, thus in regards to being in a car, talking to someone on the phone is pretty well equal to talking to someone in the car...... actually the person in the car is a visual distraction, not just an audio distraction, so technically that's still worse.

From your link:

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The hands-free gadgets still require some use of hands, and a few researchers feel the devices may actually put people at greater risk than hand-held ones. Some people will end up putting an earbud on or setting up a [COLOR=black ! important][COLOR=black ! important]microphone[/COLOR][/COLOR] while driving, for example, unless they habitually wear the device when they are in their vehicle.

Well that's just as dangerous and unsafe as picking up the damn phone while driving..... and if you know you're going to be driving and you know you have your cell phone with you..... and you know you can't resist answering it when it rings..... why the hell wouldn't you have it all setup before you started the car?

And people still have to dial or push a button to activate the phone. Voice-activated dialing systems are not yet bug-free, so drivers may become frustrated with them, which in turn becomes a safety issue.

[/FONT]

Now they're grasping...... oh they still have to dial or push a button do they?

You still have to dial or push a button when you're using just your cell phone, but since Blue Tooths only have a couple of buttons and no display to worry about, they're in no way similar to picking up a phone, dialing and focusing on the screen to ensure you dialed right or hit the right buttons.

You also have to dial or push buttons throughout the dashboard too..... radio, temperature, lights, signals, wipers, gears, etc.

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]But there are other safety issues besides ergonomics. In 2001, University of Utah researchers reported that students using cell phones -- hand-held or hands-free -- had slower reaction times than they did when not using the devices. The researchers found that drivers using either kind of cell phone missed twice as many signals as they did when not using the phones.

Which has been my point all along towards using cell phones while driving..... I wouldn't flinch a bit if they banned every kind of cell phone communication while driving.... be that cell, hands free or texting..... but in reality, I could accept hands free.

They later estimated that talking on a hands-free phone while driving reduces the amount of visual information that can be processed by 50 percent

Estimate?

Reduction by 50%??

I'd like them to explain how they came to this conclusion that it reduces visual information by 50%...... did their test subjects jam the blue tooth in their eye and not their ear?

[/FONT][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Barry H. Kantowitz, director of the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute, also believes cell phones pose a serious hazard to safe driving. He says he doesn't hold out much hope for hands-free devices because they don't reduce the amount of concentration required to process a phone conversation.

Then ban cell phone use of any kind while driving.... I personally wouldn't be affected any..... but I'm still waiting to see where they explain their conclusion that hands-free is equal to regular cell phone talking, in regards to reduced concentration.

How is that reduction in concentration any different then talking with someone right next to you?

[/FONT][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]They postulated that the main factor in a collision might be a driver's limitations in attention rather than his or her dexterity. They also thought that hands-free phones might provide drivers with a false sense of security that might cause them to expose themselves to greater risk than if they had a hand-held phone.

^ They Postulated...... AKA: They're assuming out of their asses with nothing backing up their positions other then their own opinions..... so what makes any of this any more true or fact then what anybody else says in here based on their own opinions?

Someone's ability to react quickly and maintain control over their vehicle is equally important to visually knowing your surrounding area while driving. Reduction in any of these is a risk factor.

Talking to your friends in the car is a distraction, talking on the phone while driving is a distraction...... basically communicating with anybody while trying to drive is a Distraction..... but since you can not ban, let alone enforce laws that prevent people from talking to one another in a car, it doesn't make much more sense to ban talking on a cell phone completely while driving..... at the very least, restrict phone conversations to hands free or don't drive at all.

If you need to dial on the cell, get your friend to do it while you drive or pull over.

Regardless, most of their studies and findings are from 1997-2003..... now a days, a lot more people use cell phones, which also means more drivers are using more cell phones.... that and adding the fact that blue tooth and hands-free devices are more common today, especially in the last 3 years, those older statistics and studies are clearly out dated.

I'd rely on the more recent, originally posted study then a "Study" based on assumptions by "Experts" and vague use of statistics created 7+ years ago.
[/FONT]

 

[karrie]

A person in the vehicle with you reacts directly to you and the traffic around you. They'll shut up if they see you need it during a left hand turn for example. Someone on the cell phone will just keep talking, not realizing that they are distracting you at a moment when you need to be paying attention. That's one huge difference. It may not seem like it, but it's massive.

 

[Unforgiven]

You forgot the ultimate in multi-tasking... texting while drunk, talking on your blue tooth, reading your Kindle, and getting a blow job.

Why, there is no stopping the kids of tomorrow! :glasses3:

 

[Dexter Sinister]

I'd rely on the more recent, originally posted study then a "Study" based on assumptions by "Experts" and vague use of statistics created 7+ years ago.

That was just the first relevant link I found, google it yourself if you're not satisfied, you'll find nothing but confirmation. What more do you need than this, which you quoted yourself: "In 2001, University of Utah researchers reported that students using cell phones -- hand-held or hands-free -- had slower reaction times than they did when not using the devices. The researchers found that drivers using either kind of cell phone missed twice as many signals as they did when not using the phones." In other words, legitimate published research by a legitimate university shows there's no difference between hand held and hands free. What could it possibly matter that it was 7+ years ago? The aspects of human cognition they're testing won't have changed in 10,000 times that long.

 

[bobnoorduyn]

A person in the vehicle with you reacts directly to you and the traffic around you. They'll shut up if they see you need it during a left hand turn for example. Someone on the cell phone will just keep talking, not realizing that they are distracting you at a moment when you need to be paying attention. That's one huge difference. It may not seem like it, but it's massive.

That certainly is part of it, passengers are interested parties and are as aware of their surroundings as the driver. But here is a question that used to be asked when we first indtroduced what is now called Company Resource Management, "how many tasks can the human brain process at a time?". (I say used to be asked because we all now know the answer, which is one.)That's right, the brain can only process one task at a time. Sure, you can flip back and forth many times on different tasks, but each one is handled individually. If you are concentrating on a phone conversation your mind is not on pointing your vehicle where it should be going. You may be able to alternate between a conversation and driving before hitting something, but concentrating on the keypad of a phone takes much more effort, and time.

Society has run into problems by believing physiology has progressed along with technology, we pride ouselves on our ability to "multitask". That is a myth. We can eat, tune the radio, turn up the heat, etc., and drive at the same time because of motor muscle memory. I can juggle three balls and recite "The Cremation of Sam McGee" because the actions and words are committed to memory. Put me in a rental car in a strange city and I'll have trouble adjusting the heat and radio while driving, never mind using a cell phone. If a task is a bit more complex we tend to fixate, and it need only be finding the right key on the phone, and it only takes a split second in the fluidity of traffic. We now have all sorts of inane laws because people no longer realise the limitations of the human brain. I think we are actually starting to regress in cognitive ability.

 

[mentalfloss]

Where are me death stats!