Using the mobile phone
How dangerous is using the phone while driving?
Many motorists use the phone while driving, thus increasing their risk of a crash. Motorists are 'physically' distracted because they are simultaneously trying to use a phone and control the vehicle. However, the greatest danger is the 'cognitive' distraction: drivers have to divide their attention between holding a telephone conversation and driving a car. That is why handsfree phoning is almost as dangerous as handheld phoning.
For example, using a mobile phoning leads to motorists not signalling in time, braking later and with greater force, and insufficiently adapting to awkward traffic situations such as slipperiness.
Using a mobile phone results in a four times higher risk of being involved in a crash. In addition, people who often phone while driving also wear a seatbelt less frequently. They also show risky driving behaviour more often, such as drink-driving and driving too fast. This kind of behaviour could be responsible for the crash rate of driving while using the phone being a lot higher than the estimated four times.
For more details: Fact sheet Use of mobile phone while driving (pdf)
References
Distraction inside the vehicle
Is phoning more dangerous than other distractions?
Passengers are a well known source of distraction. However, discussions with passengers are less dangerous than mobile telephone conversations because passengers are aware of the driving situation. During a telephone conversation, by contrast, the other party perhaps doesn't even know that the person he's talking to is driving a car. Listening to the radio also is a much smaller influence on driving behaviour than using the phone.
In any case, the trend is that ever more types of distraction in the car will become available, often in combination with using a mobile phone. An increasing number of services, such as traffic information, are becoming available through the mobile phone. Also, telephones increasingly are part of mobile computer applications in the car, such as company computer systems. This is changing the car into a mobile office. Visual information on the telephone can have a negative influence on road safety because drivers do not keep their eyes on the road. The fact that drivers spend more and more time on the phone and mobile phones are becoming ever smaller can also cause problems while driving.
Measures
Can mobile phone use be made safer?
A general prohibition of phoning while driving would annually save an estimated 600 deaths and in-patients in the
Another measure which is sometimes used abroad is a total prohibition of phoning while driving for particular categories of drivers, such as of school busses or young novice drivers with a provisional driving licence.
Although the effectiveness of such measures is limited in the longer term, information campaigns can cause an improvement.
Technical measures such as facilities that make it impossible to phone while driving, can also contribute to reducing the risks. Finally, it is very important that education makes drivers aware of the dangers involved in inattentiveness caused by phone conversations while driving. This also applies to other road users such as cyclists and pedestrians.
For more details:
Fact sheet Use of mobile phone while driving (pdf)
References
References
(SWOV reports in Dutch have a summary in English)
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Dragutinovic, N. (to be published). Use of mobile phones while driving. SWOV, Leidschendam.
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