• 25
  • January
    2012

We know the facts, and we read the papers - cellphone use on New York roads is extensive, despite regulation to minimize activity. Law enforcement authorities in New York claim that nearly 60 car accidents occur daily due to distracted driving. Suprisingly, statistics show that distracted drivers could be more dangerous on the road than drunk drivers. Yet, many people continue to drive with distractions and cause accidents every day.

Could cellphone use behind the wheel be as addictive as smoking? A chairwoman on the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) thinks so. When compared to an addiction, it becomes more obvious as to why it is so difficult for people to stop using their phones while driving their car. If cellphone use really can be likened to an addiction, then it could be argued that regulation of phone use is futile. Cellphones have been integrated into daily life - used not only for making calls, but taking photos, maintaining busy schedules, recording notes, writing emails, updating social media sites, planning meals, doing research, etc. The list goes on and on, suggesting that people may not be able to set down their mobile devices even if they want to. (Not long ago Blackberrys were jokingly referred to as "Crackberrys.")

Still, addiction or not, it is unsafe to use a cellular phone while driving a car. So what is the solution?

Some policymakers believe the answer to the problem of continued use lies in changing the perception that using a cellphone while driving is a risk worth taking. Smoking used to be considered "cool" and "grown-up," but now most people understand the dangers and many cannot comprehend why anyone would still smoke. These policymakers believe a similar change in mindset could be the only way to curb distracted driving. The goal is to make cellphone use while driving as taboo as smoking. If this happened, people might make safer choices themselves instead of reacting to laws.

People are beginning to understand the risks of driving and texting, and are starting to understand that using a cell phone while driving can be a distraction that can have awful consequences. The facts speak for themselves, but it may take a change in the nation's perception regarding the safety of using cellular devices while driving to ensure safer roadways.

Source: Albany Times Union, "The addictive call of distracted driving," 12/17/11.