Study shows that cell phones are not a major distraction for drivers...wwhhhaaattt???

This is why I can't pay attention to surveys and studies. Precious few people know how to create a truly objective and helpful study and, unfortunately, even fewer people realize that most of the studies or surveys out there are pure crap.

So, this particular study is trying to tell us that cell phones are not a major distraction for drivers. They reached this conclusion by evaluating the following: "Only 30 percent of the subjects used a cell phone while their vehicle was moving, compared with 97 percent who leaned over to reach for something and 91 percent who fiddled with radio controls." Ok, so let's completely fail to take into account the magnitude of distraction involved. Anyone who does it, or sees it done knows that talking on a cell phone is EXTREMELY more distracting than reaching for something, or changing the radio station. So who cares if more people are distracted by changing their radio station...these aren't the people that are so distracted they run people over.

I'd also like to know where the hell this study was conducted. I'm lucky if I don't see someone on a cell phone while driving in this area.

Posted by Desiree on August 06, 2003 at 12:27 PM | TrackBack