WASHINGTON – More people than ever are turning their cars into personal phone booths, with a million and a half drivers gabbing on cell phones at any given time. Women and young people are the most common yakkers.
About 10 percent of the people on the road during the day are using cell phones, up from 8 percent in 2004, the government reported Thursday.
Six percent of drivers were holding the phones to their ears, up from 5 percent in 2004.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which issued the report, recommends that motorists use cell phones while driving only during an emergency.
Connecticut, New Jersey, New York and the District of Columbia prohibit talking on hand-held cell phones while driving. The new data could add fuel to the debate over whether drivers should be limited in their use of cell phones on the nation’s highways.
Cities such as Chicago and Santa Fe, N.M., require hands-free devices in automobiles. But eight states – Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, New York, Oklahoma and Oregon – bar local governments from restricting cell phone use in vehicles, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
Researchers have tried to figure out the risks of driving and dialing. A study published by the British Medical Journal in July found drivers using cell phones were four times as likely to get into a crash that could cause injuries serious enough to land them in the hospital.
But the study, conducted by the Virginia-based Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, suggested that using a hands-free device instead of a hand-held phone may not necessarily improve safety. Researchers found that both phone types increased the risk.
Industry officials contend cell phones are just one form of distraction: many drivers eat fast food, push buttons on their stereo, apply makeup or talk to other passengers.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
