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Cell Phones in Cars
By Jon Menaster | May 4, 2007
So I was driving home from work in my car, and while paused at a very long light, started to look at the drivers whizzing by me. What did 7 of out every 10 drivers all have in common? (No, I didn’t perform a scientific study - it’s just an estimate!) They were all talking on their cell phones, of course! Whether using a Bluetooth headset, speakerphone, or just plain smashing the phone against the side of their face, it seems like drivers love cell phones. Why? Because it enables them to stay in touch with friends, family, and co-workers; and helps time go by during a sometimes monotonous task like driving.
Well that got me thinking, just what would our world, and business specifically, look like without cell phones. Could you go a whole day without a cell phone? A whole week? The cell phone has become so integral and so essential that it’s hard to imagine a world without them, just like you’d have a hard time imagining a day without your car, or without watching a television.
Photo by Prosto Photo’s
Of course, while drivers enjoy their cell phones, it also hurts their ability to do what you’re supposed to do while in a car’s driver seat: drive your car! (Outrageous, I know) University of Utah psychologists had people sit in advanced driving simulators, and had them drive while talking on their cell phones. Guess what? They found that “motorists who talk on handheld or hands-free cellular phones are as impaired as drunken drivers.” Wow. So should we outlaw using cell phones while driving? Should people have to pull over? There have been bills floating around various city and state legislators around the country to force people to do just that, but they have had a hard time being passed.
It seems to me that what we should be doing instead of worrying about this is pushing for cars that can drive themselves! We already have the Lexus LS460 that parks itself. So listen up, car manufacturer’s! Get a car that drives itself and cell phone usage in the car will no longer be a problem. The LS460 also has a system built in that will automatically active the brakes just before an impact with a pedestrian or other object, lessening the impact and potentially saving lives.
Overall, cell phones are a necessary tool, but they just aren’t safe to use while driving. If you have to use your cell phone while you’re in a car, get a headset. I’m only preaching because I want to cut down on the number of accidents that occur while people are on their cell phones!
Some interesting stats: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) states that 85 percent of all cell phone customers talk on the phone while driving. It has been estimated that 6 percent of auto accidents each year are caused by drivers talking on their phones. This total means 2,600 people will be killed and 330,000 will be injured in cell phone related car accidents this year.
