District 8
NHTSA withholds information on distracted driving:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/21/technology/21distracted.html?em
By MATT RICHTEL
Published: July 18, 2009
OKLAHOMA CITY - On his 15th birthday, Christopher Hill got his first
cellphone. For his 16th, he was given a used red Ford Ranger pickup, a
source of pride he washed every week.
Driven to Distraction
Unheeded Warnings
Articles in this series will examine the dangers of drivers using cellphones
and other electronic devices, and efforts to deal with the problem.
Should Cellphone Use by Drivers Be Illegal?
As a matter of public safety, is it time to stop driving and calling?
Jeffrey D. Allred for The New York Times
Researchers at the University of Utah ask volunteers like Anne McLaren to
use a cellphone in a driving simulator. Talking didn't cause a problem, but
while texting she hit another car.
Mr. Hill, a diligent student with a reputation for helping neighbors, also
took pride in his clean driving record. "Not a speeding ticket, not a fender
bender, nothing," he said.
Until last Sept. 3. Mr. Hill, then 20, left the parking lot of a Goodwill
store where he had spotted a dresser he thought might interest a neighbor.
He dialed her to pass along news of the find.
Mr. Hill was so engrossed in the call that he ran a red light and didn't
notice Linda Doyle's small sport utility vehicle until the last second. He
hit her going 45 miles per hour. She was pronounced dead shortly after.
Later, a policeman asked Mr. Hill what color the light had been. "I never
saw it," he answered.
Extensive research shows the dangers of distracted driving. Studies say that
drivers using phones are four times as likely to cause a crash as other
drivers, and the likelihood that they will crash is equal to that of someone
with a .08 percent blood alcohol level, the point at which drivers are
generally considered intoxicated. Research also shows that hands-free
devices do not eliminate the risks, and may worsen them by suggesting that
the behavior is safe.
A 2003 Harvard study estimated that cellphone distractions caused 2,600
traffic deaths every year, and 330,000 accidents that result in moderate or
severe injuries.
Yet Americans have largely ignored that research. Instead, they increasingly
use phones, navigation devices and even laptops to turn their cars into
mobile offices, chat rooms and entertainment centers, making roads more
dangerous.
A disconnect between perception and reality worsens the problem. New studies
show that drivers overestimate their own ability to safely multitask, even
as they worry about the dangers of others doing it.
Device makers and auto companies acknowledge the risks of multitasking
behind the wheel, but they aggressively develop and market gadgets that
cause distractions.
Police in almost half of all states make no attempt to gather data on the
problem. They are not required to ask drivers who cause accidents whether
they were distracted by a phone or other device. Even when officers do ask,
some drivers are not forthcoming.
The federal government warns against talking on a cellphone while driving,
but no state legislature has banned it. This year, state legislators
introduced about 170 bills to address distracted driving, but passed fewer
than 10.
Five states and the District of Columbia require drivers who talk on
cellphones to use hands-free devices, but research shows that using headsets
can be as dangerous as holding a phone because the conversation distracts
drivers from focusing on the road.
Fourteen states have passed measures to ban texting while driving, and the
New York State Assembly sent such a bill to the governor on Friday.
The states that rejected any efforts to limit distracted driving this year
include Oklahoma.
"I'm on the phone from when I leave the Capitol to when I get home, and
that's a two-hour drive," said Tad Jones, the majority floor leader in the
Oklahoma House, who helped block the legislation. "A lot of people who
travel are used to using the phone."
Scientists who study distracted driving say they understand the frustrations
of colleagues who publicized the dangers of tobacco. Like cigarettes, they
say, gadgets are considered cool but can be deadly. And the big device
companies even offer warnings that remind them of labels on cigarette packs.
Verizon Wireless, for instance, posts instructions on its Web sites not to
talk while driving - with or without a headset. But neither Verizon nor any
other cellphone company supports legislation that bans drivers from talking
on the phone. And the wireless industry does not conduct research on the
dangers, saying that is not its responsibility.
Some researchers say that sufficient evidence exists to justify laws
outlawing cellphone use for drivers - and they suggest using technology to
enforce them by disabling a driver's phone. "Just outlawing the behavior
cannot possibly go very far toward getting people not to do it," said Robert
D. Foss, senior research scientist at the Highway Safety Research Center at
the University of North Carolina. "The behavior is too ingrained and
compelling."
For his part, Mr. Hill rarely talks when he drives now. His mother gave him
a hands-free headset two months after the accident. She thought it would
create less distraction. He tried it once, and found his mind wandering into
his phone call so much that "I nearly missed a light," he said.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/19/technology/19distracted.html?_r=1
The AMA Board of Directors adopted an official position on the issue of distracted driving and inattentive vehicle operation at the Board's July 27 meeting.
"Distracted or inattentive driving has become a major concern to the motorcycling community," said AMA Vice President of Government Relations Ed Moreland. "Far too many cases have been documented of motorcyclists being injured or killed as the result of other vehicle operators being distracted or inattentive."
As part of its official statement, the AMA supports legislation that includes enhanced penalty options for distracted and inattentive vehicle operation to be determined by the courts. Additionally, the AMA supports the prominent placement of signage that notifies roadway users that the state provides specific sanctions for those convicted of moving violations while operating a motor vehicle in a distracted or inattentive manner.
Moreland added that the AMA's official statement recognizes that all road users -- car drivers, truck drivers, motorcyclists and even bicyclists -- are responsible for the safe operation of their vehicles on public roads and highways. In addition to posing a hazard to other road users and pedestrians, distracted vehicle operation can be every bit as dangerous to the operator.
The issue has become even more important in recent years as advances in mobile technology have made it easier than ever to become momentarily distracted by operating the controls of a cell phone, stereo system, a global positioning unit, or some other device.
"We've also seen an increase in new state-level legislation designed to address some facet of distracted or inattentive driving," Moreland said. "Most of the bills are well-intentioned. However, almost all focus on only one or a few in-vehicle behaviors, such as talking on a cell phone or text messaging, rather than addressing the main issue. This new position statement gives our staff the guidance it needs to help shape future legislation for the benefit of all road users, particularly motorcyclists."
The full position statement on distracted and inattentive vehicle operation, along with position statements on other issues important to motorcyclists, can be found on the AMA website at AmericanMotorcyclist.Com/legisltn/issues.asp.
