Study Shows Smartphones Account For 25% of Traffic Accidents
The Governors Highway Safety Association conducted a study that revealed that driver distraction due to smartphones accounts for roughly 15 to 25% of all traffic accidents. The GHSA is urging states to enforce laws pertaining to cell phone use for novice drivers as well as laws pertaining to texting while driving.
The report highlights the need for more studies specifically targeted to the problem to determine how big the problem is as well as how to deal with the issue effectively. The study also incorporates commercial drivers and business employees who constantly use cell phones for communication stating that there should be programs and policies established to prevent accidents from occurring for those drivers.
Driver distraction has been a major concern for many years. In recent years the development of smartphones has made it so that people can not only send text messages to other cell phone users but they can also surf the internet and play games on their phones. With cell phones becoming more and more sophisticated, they are becoming more and more like compact computers; smaller than a standard laptop but capable of the same functionality. This sophistication could become a huge distraction for drivers especially teenagers who constantly use their cell phones for social networking purposes (texting, and social networking websites). Many drivers think using a hands-free system for cell phones will reduce their chance of being in an accident. However, simply keeping both hands on the wheel is not enough to keep a driver from being distracted while driving.
Incorporating and enforcing laws to prevent drivers from using their cell phones altogether could dramatically reduce the number of accidents that occur resulting from driver distraction. By developing more studies targeted toward cell phone laws as well as the activity of cell phone use while driving, organizations like the GHSA and NHTSA can help lawmakers make it harder for driver distraction related to cell phones to be a factor in an accident. Although many people find smartphones convenient, they can pose a very real danger for drivers and cell phone laws should be in place to prevent serious accidents.
