Gabby motoring

By Doug Miller
Posted: January 29, 2010

People are bound to draw their own conclusions about things, but I’m inclined to agree with AAA’s take on a recent study of the effect of laws governing cell-phone use by motorists.

A press release I just got from the Mid-Atlantic chapter of AAA says, “A new study released today by the Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI), a research arm of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), found that states with laws which ban hand-held cell phone use while driving have not seen a reduction in crashes.”

Habitual cell users will no doubt conclude, “See, I can talk on the phone and drive at the same time.”

The auto club and I see it differently, though.

See, it isn’t the handling of the phone itself but the distraction of having a phone conversation — hands-free or not —  that impairs drivers.

“In fact, a recent study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety showed that talking on a cell phone while driving—regardless of whether it’s hand-held or hands-free, quadruples one’s chances of being involved in a crash,” the release reads.

AAA Mid-Atlantic spokeswoman Ragina C. Averella says, “If bans on handheld cell phone use are merely pushing drivers to adopt the use of hands-free products, then it’s really no surprise that we are seeing little to no change in road safety.”

This comes to us as the General Assembly is considering multiple bills dealing with the issue of distracted driving, including one from James Malone, who represents Howard County’s northeastern corner (along with a hunk of Baltimore County) in the House of Delegates.

Yes, the legislature has a monster budget problem to address, but here’s hoping they find time to enact common-sense measures to keep drivers’ minds on the road.

Comment on this entry • View 1 response

user dno21 says...

And the public keeps demanding more and more distractions in their cars. Radios, CD changers, DVD players, satellite connections, wi-fi, and yes, navigation tools are all contributing to the carnage on the roads. Legislating on cell phone use is only the tip of the iceberg.

Posted 2:35 PM, 01.29.10 | Permalink