Two-thirds of Americans who use mobile phones while driving believe it is safer to talk on a hands-free mobile than a hand-held device according to a recent study released by the US-based AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. However, scientific research shows this is not the case.
As the number of mobile phone subscribers and proportion of drivers using mobile phones continues to increase, studies that have analysed the mobile phone records of crash victims have reported that using a mobile phone while driving increases the likelihood of a smash by four times.
“Too many Americans are driving with the false sense of security that hands-free devices are somehow safer, which could be a deadly mistake,” says AAA Foundation President and CEO Peter Kissinger. “Evidence shows that using a hands-free phone while driving impairs your reaction time to critical events and increases your crash risk about the same as if you were using a hand-held phone. Drivers need to be aware of the dangers of distracted driving and pay full attention while they are behind the wheel.”
The survey also found:
- Over half of U.S. drivers admit to using a mobile phone while driving.
- 53 percent of drivers reported having used a mobile phone while driving at least occasionally in the month before they were interviewed
- Of those who admitted using their mobile phone while driving, 60 percent used a hand-held device and 34 percent used a hands-free phone.
- One in seven even admitted text messaging while driving in the past 30 days.
- Young drivers were overwhelmingly more likely than older drivers to text message, and somewhat more likely to talk on mobile phones while driving. For example, nearly half of drivers ages 18 to 24 admitted texting while driving at least occasionally, as compared to less than five percent of those ages 45 and older.
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