[MissoulaGov] NYT article on texting, cell phones while driving

[Jed Taylor]

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/28/technology/28texting.html?em=
<http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/28/technology/28texting.html?em=&pagewanted=
all> &pagewanted=all
 
The first study of drivers texting inside their vehicles shows that the risk
sharply exceeds previous estimates based on laboratory research - and far
surpasses the dangers of other driving distractions.
 
Compared with other sources of driver distraction, "texting is in its own
universe of risk," said Rich Hanowski, who oversaw the study at the
institute.
 
Tom Dingus, director of the Virginia Tech institute, one of the world's
largest vehicle safety research organizations, said the study's message was
clear. 

"You should never do this," he said of texting while driving. "It should be
illegal."

One difficulty in measuring crashes caused by texting drivers - and by
drivers  <http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/19/technology/19distracted.html>
talking on phones - is that many police agencies do not collect this data or
have not compiled long-term studies. Texting also is a relatively new
phenomenon.

By comparison, several field and laboratory studies show that drivers
talking on cellphones are four times more likely to cause a crash than other
drivers. And a previous Virginia institute study videotaping car drivers
found that they were three times more likely to crash or come close to a
crash when dialing a phone and 1.3 times more likely when talking on it.

 

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