- Cell phone users were four
to five times more likely to have crashes than non-users.
- Cell phone units that allow
the hands to be free offer no safety advantage over hand-held units.
The main factor in most motor
vehicle collisions is driver inattentiveness.
According to the Cellular Telecommunications
Industry Association (CTIA), there are 100 million wireless subscribers
today, which is more than 36 percent of the United States population.
While convenient, using cell phones while driving can be hazardous. The
American Automobile Association offers these tips:
- Make sure your phone is
mounted where you can easily reach it while driving. The phone should
be within comfortable reach in your usual driving position and as close
as possible to your line of vision.
- Know all the operations
of your cellular phone, and learn to use it without looking.
- Keep your attention on the
road by programming frequently called numbers into the phone's memory
to minimize dialing.
- Dial sensibly. Wait for
a stop light, pull off the road to dial, or ask a passenger to dial
for you.
- Don't use your cellular
phone in distracting traffic situations. Pull off the road to make a
call.
- Be careful about where you
stop to make calls.
- When calling 911 to report
an emergency, be prepared to provide the closest major cross streets
or off-ramps, and know your cellular phone number.
- Use your voice mail to take
calls or leave yourself messages. Never take notes while driving.
- Disconnect your cellular
phone when using jumper cables; the power surge could burn out your
phone.
A few states actually regulate
cell phone use, including California, Florida, Massachusetts, Oklahoma
and Minnesota. Oklahoma and Minnesota require police to include cell phone
information in accident reports. Several countries prohibit cell phone
use while driving including England, Switzerland, Spain, Australia and
Italy.
Police suggest calling 911
from your cellular phone only in true emergencies:
Emergencies
- Unreported collisions
- Any life-threatening event
- Any crime against you or
another person
- A vehicle or object blocking
traffic lanes
- A suspected drunk driver
Non-emergencies (Do
not use 911)
- A stalled vehicle off the
roadway
- A broken-down vehicle that
is not a hazard
- Winter road conditions
- A stolen vehicle when nothing
is known about the suspected thief
- Asking for directions
- Testing your phone
When you dial 911, the call
from your cellular phone is routed to the appropriate emergency response
authority.
You must be prepared to provide:
- Exact location of vehicle
in distress
- Nature of emergency
- Your name and cellular number,
including area code
