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Death by Cell Phone

Entry 135, on 2005-02-25 at 15:18:39 (Rating 1, News)

A debate has been occurring for a while now regarding the use of cell phones while driving. The evidence seems to be fairly strong that when someone uses one when they are driving, they lose some of their ability to concentrate on the road. Its as if they are in another world where they are sitting around chatting with the person.

One rather extreme statistic indicated that talking on a cell phone while driving is four times more dangerous than drink driving. Yet in New Zealand only 17 road deaths since 1995 have had cell phones involved - and that doesn't mean it was the cell phone conversation's fault. Either one of these stats are wrong, or cell phone talk-driving is very rare, so it doesn't seem like a major issue to me.

I was pleasantly surprised when New Zealand didn't ban using cell phones while driving. Recent history would suggest that they might have been likely to ban it - the government seems intent on protecting people from themselves to a ridiculous extent. Of course, there is a suggestion that this was not because of safety issues, but because businesses find cell-phones a convenient way to keep track of their employees, and were worried about possible compliance costs.

I use a cell phone while driving quite often, and I totally agree that it reduces my attention. On the other hand a similar lack of attention most likely happens when I'm chatting with a friend in the passenger seat, or yelling at the kids in the back, or changing CDs, or tuning the radio, or drinking coffee, or thinking about what my next blog entry will be, or one of many other things.

Many other countries, including Australia and most of Europe, already ban cell phone use, and no doubt it will happen here as well eventually. Of course New Zealanders are one of the heaviest users of txting in the world, no doubt because our cellphone voice calls are so outrageously expensive (but don't get me started on that), so I hope I don't meet anyone on the road who is txting while driving!

Comment 1 (665) by Anonymous on 2007-06-05 at 14:50:04:

OMG, that is really true... Although this is a bit out-of-date, it still helps with info from past years. It's very interesting.

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