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Do Not Dial and DriveRonald Porep, Republished from SafetyIssues Issue 4 |
Volume 4 Issue 42May 2005 |
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An accident waiting to happen. The driver has his cellular telephone pressed against his head in one hand while he holds the steering wheel with his other hand. The driver’s head nods in agreement or disagreement with what the person he is talking to says. He is not paying attention to the other cars on the road or even where he is going. If the driver gets lucky, others will avoid him. If he is unlucky he hits a tree head on. If he and the other drivers on the road are all unlucky, the phone talking driver slams into another vehicle possibly causing a multi car pileup that injures or kills him and others. The Facts |
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Studies have found that talking on a cellular telephone while driving quadruples a driver’s chance of having a collision. While the convenience of conducting business or personal affairs on a cellular telephone while away from home or the office is unbeatable, research has shown that dialing, discussing and doing deals on the telephone while driving lessens the driver’s ability to respond to typical driving situations – not to mention unusual driving events. Cellular telephones and driving are thus a bad mix but you can use your telephone safely while on the road by following a few simple common sense rules. Do Not Dial and Drive The safest way to use your cellular telephone in your car is while you are not driving. Your attention should be on the road while you drive and not even partly on that big business deal you are putting together or on what your wife wants you to bring home for dinner. Unfortunately, most people use their telephones while their cars are moving so they are taking the huge risk of an accident caused by the cell phone user not having his attention on the road. If you feel you must dial or talk and drive there are ways you can lessen your risk of an accident. Before dialing, evaluate the traffic around you. If at all possible, dial the number you want when not moving such as when stopped at a red light or stop sign. If you have to place a call while moving then do so before pulling into traffic. If you absolutely have to dial a number while in traffic, dial only a few numbers of the number you are calling then check the road and your mirrors and then dial the rest of the number. Your safest way is to dial your phone while your car is not moving but many people are not willing to wait. Talking on the Phone While Driving Use your telephone’s hands free device if you must talk on your cellular telephone while driving. Some telephones have a device that mounts in your car making the cellular telephone act as a speaker phone. Other phones let you plug a cellular phone into your car such as through your cigarette lighter allowing you to hear the person you are talking to on your car’s stereo speakers. However the device works, its purposes are to keep as much of your attention as possible on the road and both of your hands on the steering wheel which gives you better control of your vehicle. Do not engage in emotional or stressful conversations while driving. This is one of the most dangerous things you can do while driving because your attention is on the conversation and not on your driving where your attention should be. Ask the person to call you back later telling him or her you are driving. In addition, suspend phone conversations while driving in hazardous conditions. Ice, rain, sleet and snow are all hazardous conditions but so is heavy traffic. Your primary responsibility is to pay attention to the road. And, do not look up phone numbers or take notes while driving. If you are reading an address book or business card or writing a to-do list while driving, you are not paying attention to where you are going. Do not place yourself in a dangerous situation because you are reading or writing while driving and talking on your telephone. That is a deadly disaster waiting to happen. Use Your Telephone To Help Others Use your cellular telephone to help others in an emergency. If you see an accident, crime in progress or other situation in which lives are at stake call emergency personnel such a fire, paramedics or police. Now, in some areas, you can just dial 9 - 1 - 1 on your cellular telephone to reach emergency services but in other areas that capability for cellular telephones does not exist yet. If you can not access emergency services by dialing 9 - 1 - 1 then dial 0 for the operator and ask her to call emergency services informing her where you are and the emergency you are reporting. And, you can help other drivers not in life threatening situations by calling roadside assistance services or a special number for use by cellular phone users to report broken down vehicles, broken stop lights or a minor traffic accident in which no one looks injured. Using your cellular telephone so that your attention is on the road is the safe way to combine the convenience of a cellular telephone and driving. |
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