Some of our blogs last month mentioned the proposed federal ban on cell phones behind the wheel for all drivers in the United States. The mixed reactions ranged from support for the ban to accusations of government regulation gone too far. However, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) did not make the recommendation without a body of research to support its proposal. The NTSB looked at a 2001 study that showed conversations on cell phones are more of a distraction than the device itself. More data from a 2005 study showed that when young drivers operate cell phones behind the wheel, their reaction times slow to those of an elderly person. One year later, researchers found that drivers who talk on the phone while driving are just as impaired as intoxicated drivers are. Too many drivers think they can operate a cell phone behind the wheel just fine. One federal…
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Virginia & Washington DC Personal Injury BLOG
The Reasons for the NTSB’s Cell Phone Ban Recommendation
January 27th, 2012Cell Phone Distractions Not Just Limited to Automobile Driving
January 26th, 2012Maryland has the dubious distinction of having had the first documented case of distracted driving – a Maryland woman talking on her phone while driving crossed a median, flipped her vehicle and killed five people. That distracted driving accident happened over 10 years ago, and distracted driving has grown to a nation-wide debate and even more horrific car crashes. Last year in Missouri, a teen driver sent and received 11 text messages in the 11 minutes before he rear-ended a truck at 55 mph. The collision started a chain reaction crash that killed two people and injured 38 others. Many of the injured were children on school buses. Distractions are not just limited to accidents and mishaps while driving automobiles. Operators of trains and boats have caused injuries and fatalities while operating a cell phone on the job. Last year’s incident where airline pilots overflew their destination by 100 miles…
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Is New Car Technology Creating Dangerous Drivers?
January 25th, 2012Even though the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) says that distracted driving causes approximately 500,000 injuries every year, automakers are creating new ways occupy drivers’ attention behind the wheel. Ford unveiled its updated Sync system earlier this month at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show. The hands-free system allows drivers to change radio stations with their voices and push a button to listen to a text message, among other features. A Ford spokesperson said that hands-free systems like Sync are safer ways to do things that drivers are going to do anyway. Nevertheless, safety experts question whether hands-free is any safer. The USDOT cautions that using hands-free systems causes drivers to miss visual and audio cues much like hands-on use does. A person’s mind is only capable of focusing on a certain number of things at once, added the agency spokesperson. Regardless, the auto industry spokesperson said drivers are asking for…
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