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 Distracted Driving - including the use of cell phones - is a major contributor to automobile crashes. Between 4,000 and 8,000 crashes related to distracted driving occur daily in the United States. In a year, they contribute to as many as one-half of the 6 million U.S. crashes reported annually. AAA has worked out a ten-point plan to help address this issue. But the best advice is to avoid distractions whenever possible.
Drive Safer, Talk Later
Driver distractions are nothing new. They've been a topic of discussion since windshield wipers were introduced in cars during the early 1900s. Using a cellular phone while driving can increase your chances of being involved in a crash. But research shows other distractions such as eating a sandwich, tending to small children, conversing with a passenger or gazing at objects outside the vehicle occur more frequently and can be just as distracting as talking on a cell phone. Now, imagine the risks if you combine two or more of the above tasks!
Will banning hand-held cell phones improve safety?
Not according to current research. A study funded by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety about the effects of cell phone use on driver attention found that the distraction of using a hands-free cell phone is about the same as tuning a radio.
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