Who doesn't want to regulate cell phone use?

[j_b]

Driven to Distraction

U.S. Withheld Data on Risks of Distracted Driving

By MATT RICHTEL

In 2003, researchers at a federal agency proposed a long-term study of 10,000 drivers to assess the safety risk posed by cellphone use behind the wheel.

 

They sought the study based on evidence that such multitasking was a serious and growing threat on America’s roadways.

 

But such an ambitious study never happened. And the researchers’ agency, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, decided not to make public hundreds of pages of research and warnings about the use of phones by drivers — in part, officials say, because of concerns about angering Congress.

 

On Tuesday, the full body of research is being made public for the first time by two consumer advocacy groups, which filed a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit for the documents. The Center for Auto Safety and Public Citizen provided a copy to The New York Times, which is publishing the documents on its Web site.

 

In interviews, the officials who withheld the research offered their fullest explanation to date.

 

The former head of the highway safety agency said he was urged to withhold the research to avoid antagonizing members of Congress who had warned the agency to stick to its mission of gathering safety data but not to lobby states.

 

Critics say that rationale and the failure of the Transportation Department, which oversees the highway agency, to more vigorously pursue distracted driving has cost lives and allowed to blossom a culture of behind-the-wheel multitasking.

 

“We’re looking at a problem that could be as bad as drunk driving, and the government has covered it up,” said Clarence Ditlow, director of the Center for Auto Safety.

 

The group petitioned for the information after The Los Angeles Times wrote about the research last year. Mother Jones later published additional details.

 

The highway safety researchers estimated that cellphone use by drivers caused around 955 fatalities and 240,000 accidents over all in 2002.

 

The researchers also shelved a draft letter they had prepared for Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta to send, warning states that hands-free laws might not solve the problem.

 

That letter said that hands-free headsets did not eliminate the serious accident risk. The reason: a cellphone conversation itself, not just holding the phone, takes drivers’ focus off the road, studies showed.

 

The research mirrors other studies about the dangers of multitasking behind the wheel. Research shows that motorists talking on a phone are four times as likely to crash as other drivers, and are as likely to cause an accident as someone with a .08 blood alcohol content.

 

[..]

 

 

Mr. Monk and Mike Goodman, a division head at the safety agency who led the research project, theorize that the agency might have felt pressure from the cellphone industry. Mr. Goodman said the industry frequently checked in with him about the project and his progress. (He said the industry knew about the research because he had worked with it to gather some data).

 

But he could offer no proof of the industry’s influence.

 

more: U.S. Withheld Data on Risks of Distracted Driving

 

[Ponderosa]

Maybe the problem of drunk-dialing on cell phones while driving could be addressed.

[olyclimber]

I'm pretty sure any problem can be fixed by a new law. ITS THE SUEDE DENIM SECRET POLICE!

[Fairweather]

Teens and young adults who text during meals are a much bigger problem.

[Fairweather]

Leave it to a tool like j_b to support the imposition of government upon even the most benign of freedoms. Shall we ban casual conversation inside personal vehicles too?

[KaskadskyjKozak]

Leave it to a tool like j_b to support the imposition of government upon even the most benign of freedoms. Shall we ban casual conversation inside personal vehicles too?

 

big brother will take care of us all, FW.

[catbirdseat]

Leave it to a tool like j_b to support the imposition of government upon even the most benign of freedoms. Shall we ban casual conversation inside personal vehicles too?

I wouldn't advocate a blanket ban on cell phone use in cars, but I would support a ban on their use by young and inexperienced drivers.

[Gary_Yngve]

Driving back from Spokane this weekend, we had to swerve on I-90 to avoid a driver who swerved toward us. I looked in the driver's window -- female, probably in her 20s, was texting at 70mph.

 

If she keeps it up, she'll kill an innocent person one of these days. If it's a cyclist, she probably won't even get ticketed.

[Fairweather]

Texting is another story. It is a physical distraction and has no place in the driver's seat. Texting is quickly becoming a major (anti) social ill.

[olyclimber]

Hai Guys. Posting here in my car @ 90mph. Also watching a movie and programming my gps. Hard to do all this while juggling a coffee and the novel i'm working on, but it takes some of the boredom out of driving.

[Fairweather]

ThIS mUSt MaKE iT DifFiCulT tO maSteRBaTe.

[KaskadskyjKozak]

Driving back from Spokane this weekend, we had to swerve on I-90 to avoid a driver who swerved toward us. I looked in the driver's window -- female, probably in her 20s, was texting at 70mph.

 

If she keeps it up, she'll kill an innocent person one of these days. If it's a cyclist, she probably won't even get ticketed.

 

if she was texting you for a booty call, would it have been OK?

[Ponderosa]

His booty calls are all digital.

[mattp]

Leave it to a tool like j_b to support the imposition of government upon even the most benign of freedoms. Shall we ban casual conversation inside personal vehicles too?

 

You may debate the need for a law, but what I have read suggests that, in general, conversations with passengers in the vehicle are less of a hazard. Passengers are physically invested in the safety of the trip and able to see when the driver needs to concentrate on driving or may have overlooked an oncoming hazard and will stop talking or even point out the danger. A cell phone caller continues the conversation and demands a response or attention completely oblivious to the circumstances of the car and driver.

 

 

[j_b]

Leave it to a tool like j_b to support the imposition of government upon even the most benign of freedoms.

 

Like your benign "freedom" to drive drunk?

 

Have you ever considered getting help to deal with your asocial personality disorder?

[Fairweather]

I'll bet you're the angry letter-writing parent who had the jungle-gym pulled from the playground too. A nation of pussies--brought to you by j_b and like-minded sucklers.

[Frikadeller]

's window -- female, probably in her 20s, was texting at 70mph.

 

If she keeps it up, she'll kill an innocent person one of these days. If it's a cyclist, she probably won't even get ticketed.

 

And that should be the norm.

 

If you cannot keep up in traffic with texting motorists on your stupid bike, stay off the roads!!

 

On the other hand, what about the morons texting while riding their bikes, huh, Gary? Hell, what about morons on their bikes, riding to the dump, while "texting" and bringing a "load or recyclables" on their bikes... Is that not a hazard to cars?

 

 

whatever.

[Gary_Yngve]

Driving back from Spokane this weekend, we had to swerve on I-90 to avoid a driver who swerved toward us. I looked in the driver's window -- female, probably in her 20s, was texting at 70mph.

 

If she keeps it up, she'll kill an innocent person one of these days. If it's a cyclist, she probably won't even get ticketed.

 

if she was texting you for a booty call, would it have been OK?

 

No, because I don't get free texts.

[Gary_Yngve]

If you cannot keep up in traffic with texting motorists on your stupid bike, stay off the roads!!

 

Whatever. Roads were built for bicycles before they were built for autos.

 

[j_b]

I'll bet you're the angry letter-writing parent who had the jungle-gym pulled from the playground too. A nation of pussies--brought to you by j_b and like-minded sucklers.

 

Thank you for showing once again that you have no ability to tell (or couldn't care any less) when you actions impact others. Playing on the jungle-gym is a personal decision whereas one has no choice in the driving habits of other drivers. Your concept of "freedom" can be resumed to your "right" to do what you want whatever the cost to others. Nothing new there. "Nation of pussies" LOL what a moron.