And for what it's worth, it's not incredibly difficult to talk on the phone while driving -- or to ignore it. I'm sure drunk driving is a much bigger problem.
Nope. Common misconception and just plain wrong
The reactions of drivers on phone calls areworsethan the reactions of drunk drivers. Check those links, or use google, you'll find a mass of studies supporting this.
So if you are someone who thinks it's okay to drive while on the phone, please turn in you license and refrain from driving at all.
Did you even read the links you linked to?
From your first link:
"In the US in 2002, alcohol was a factor in 41 per cent of all fatal traffic accidents and in 6 per cent of all accidents. Data collected by 20 state highway authorities showed mobile phones were a factor in an estimated one-half of 1 per cent of all crashes and these crashes were more likely to be minor, rear-end collisions."
AND
"Mobiles are also not the most common or significant distraction for drivers. Only last month, Monash University's accident research centre found "interacting" with a car stereo is more distracting than using a hands-free mobile phone. An American study that analysed more than 32,000 traffic accidents caused by various driver distractions found mobile phones contributed to less than 2 per cent of accidents, while an outside object, person or event contributed to more than 29 per cent. Adjusting the radio or CD player contributed to more than 11 per cent of accidents."
Slashdot Mirror
Nope. Common misconception and just plain wrong
The reactions of drivers on phone calls are worse than the reactions of drunk drivers. Check those links, or use google, you'll find a mass of studies supporting this.
So if you are someone who thinks it's okay to drive while on the phone, please turn in you license and refrain from driving at all.
Did you even read the links you linked to?
From your first link:
"In the US in 2002, alcohol was a factor in 41 per cent of all fatal traffic accidents and in 6 per cent of all accidents. Data collected by 20 state highway authorities showed mobile phones were a factor in an estimated one-half of 1 per cent of all crashes and these crashes were more likely to be minor, rear-end collisions."
AND
"Mobiles are also not the most common or significant distraction for drivers. Only last month, Monash University's accident research centre found "interacting" with a car stereo is more distracting than using a hands-free mobile phone. An American study that analysed more than 32,000 traffic accidents caused by various driver distractions found mobile phones contributed to less than 2 per cent of accidents, while an outside object, person or event contributed to more than 29 per cent. Adjusting the radio or CD player contributed to more than 11 per cent of accidents."
I think the above says it all.