AA Report on Mobile Phone Use and Driving

[John the Monkey]

Summarised at road.cc

http://road.cc/content/news/4683-an...are-breaking-law-mobiles-says-aa#comment-4206

Some shocking stuff.

Much of the focus is on use of hand held mobiles, it seems to me, ignoring the fact that "hands free" conversation is as distracting, according to studies.

 

[bonj2]

I think it's the combination of holding it in your hand AND talking to someone that's dangerous.
One or the other, a quick alteration of the stereo, without any particular concentration needed, or talking to a passenger, doesn't seem to demand the same level of attention. But both, is more concentration sapping.

 

[John the Monkey]

I think it's the combination of holding it in your hand AND talking to someone that's dangerous.

I don't think that's borne out by the research, bonj - I'll try and find a reference to the study I'm thinking of.

Incidentally, talking to a passenger (someone physically present in the car) is measurably less distracting, as I recall - one hypothesis being that the passenger can see the road too and shuts up when more concentration is required.

 

[John the Monkey]

http://www.psych.utah.edu/AppliedCognitionLab/cdir.pdf

"Cell Phone induced Driver Distraction" - David L. Strayer & Frank A. Drews, University of Utah

ABSTRACT—Our research examined the effects of handsfree cell-phone conversations on simulated driving. We found that even when participants looked directly at objects in the driving environment, they were less likely to create a durable memory of those objects if they were conversing on a cell phone. This pattern was obtained for objects of both high and low relevance, suggesting that very little semantic analysis of the objects occurs outside the restricted focus of attention. Moreover, in-vehicle conversations do not interfere with driving as much as cell-phone conversations do

 

[palinurus]

The company I work for has just introduced an H&S policy banning business phone calls from any vehicle (unless legally parked) and business or personal calls from any company vehicle (similarly). This includes hands-free kit.

 

[domd1979]

First Group have banned all of their staff from using hands free on safety grounds as well.

 

[jonesy]

http://www.trl.co.uk/online_store/r...ars_the_relative_hazards_of_mobile_phones.htm


...
Comparison was made between the conversations held over the carphone and with the front seat passenger. There was a clear difference on all conversation measures showing that performance was worse when the response was via the handsfree carphone. It is concluded that hands-free phone conversations impair driving performance more than these other common in-vehicle distractions.

 

[andrew-the-tortoise]

Idle chit-chat on hands free phones isn't really distracting - but work related issues can seriously detract from concentrating on the road.

Companies that have a ban on phone conversations while driving are taking sensible measures.

 

[purplepolly]

Incidentally, talking to a passenger (someone physically present in the car) is measurably less distracting, as I recall - one hypothesis being that the passenger can see the road too and shuts up when more concentration is required.

When my mum's driving she always turns to look at me if I speak to her. I avoid speaking to her when she's driving.

 

[summerdays]

Idle chit-chat on hands free phones isn't really distracting - but work related issues can seriously detract from concentrating on the road.

Companies that have a ban on phone conversations while driving are taking sensible measures.

I disagree, any chat on a phone can be distracting. Having almost had a driver crash into me whilst he was busy on the phone I think it should be completely unacceptable to use your mobile whilst in the drivers seat (apart from at the side of the road stationary). I happened to catch up with the same driver waiting in traffic some 2 to 3 miles later still on his phone - so he wasn't worried by the close call earlier.

Its an everyday occurrence to see drivers on their non hands free mobile.

 

[ufkacbln]

I phoned a rep to get a quote for some kit (c £5000), ans always asked if they were free and able to talk as it was a mobile.

Half way through the call I asked a question and was was told "I 'll have to put the phone down as I cant't look at the spec sheet and hold the phone as I am driving!"

Hung up immediately and delisted the company from my contacts.

 

[marinyork]

I disagree, any chat on a phone can be distracting. Having almost had a driver crash into me whilst he was busy on the phone I think it should be completely unacceptable to use your mobile whilst in the drivers seat (apart from at the side of the road stationary). I happened to catch up with the same driver waiting in traffic some 2 to 3 miles later still on his phone - so he wasn't worried by the close call earlier.

Its an everyday occurrence to see drivers on their non hands free mobile.

I never see why people dispute these mobile phone findings so heavily. It doesn't apply to everybody (what does?) but you often see pedestrians on the phone not being able to navigate round other peds/street furniture. Cars don't involve walking but you see incredibly similar behaviour of slowed reactions and having to react to things at the last minute and poorer movement.

 

[jonesy]

I'd suggest that anyone who doubts it spend a few minutes watching other people talking on the phone, observing where there attention is, where they are looking, their hand gestures etc. It is pretty obvious that talking on the phone occupies a very significant amount of our capacity for attention and really ought not be done at the same time as anything like driving that requires absolute priority for our attention.

 

[CotterPin]

I phoned a rep to get a quote for some kit (c £5000), ans always asked if they were free and able to talk as it was a mobile.

Half way through the call I asked a question and was was told "I 'll have to put the phone down as I cant't look at the spec sheet and hold the phone as I am driving!"

Hung up immediately and delisted the company from my contacts.

Did you tell the company that was why you were longer going to use them, Cunobelin? If a company thinks they might lose more trade than they could gain by allowing their drivers to talk on the mobile, it might have a salutory impact on their working practices.

 

[Tony]

I've posted this before, but the bulk of the content in any face to face conversation is non-verbal. With any phone, you flter that out and have to pay far more attention to the verbal aspect. That demands more concentration, and that distracts from driving. There is no difference in that whether it hands-free or not.