| Title |
Cell phone use while driving in North Carolina : 2002 update report |
| Record ID |
12918 |
Personal Name
Creator |
Stutts, Jane C.; Huang, Herman F.; Hunter, William W. |
Corporate
Contributor |
North Carolina Governors Highway Safety Program |
| Publisher |
Highway Safety Research Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill  |
| Publication Date |
20021200 |
| Abstract |
As a follow-on to an earlier study funded by the North Carolina Governors Highway Safety Program, the current study was carried out to further understanding regarding the safety implications of cellular telephone use while driving. The study involved three separate tasks: (1) a statewide telephone survey to gather information on cell phone use and user characteristics, along with drivers opinions regarding the safety and potential regulation of cell phone use while driving; (2) an analysis of the characteristics of cell phone-related crashes, based on 452 cell phone crashes identified from an earlier computerized narrative search of N.C. crash data; and (3) a supplementary data collection activity by the North Carolina State Highway Patrol to identify and report cell phone-related crashes occurring statewide over a two-month period. While there are clearly benefits to having cell phones available in personal vehicles, the results of this research reinforce the very real risks associated with using a cell phone while driving. Cell phones are not the only thing distracting drivers and contributing to crashes. However, cell phones represent the tip of the iceberg in terms of new wireless technologies and communication and entertainment devices that are rapidly becoming available in todays vehicles. It is therefore critical that the highway safety community work to educate drivers about the importance of maintaining focus while driving. Only if properly used can the benefits of these new technologies be reaped without increased risk to ourselves and others. Tables, figures, 66p. |
| TRT Terms |
Cellular telephones ; Distraction ; Accident analysis ; Accident rates ; Accident prone drivers ; Driving ; Traffic accidents ; Human factors ; Surveys ; Research reports |
| General Subjects |
North Carolina |
| Classification |
NTL - SAFETY AND SECURITY - Accidents;
NTL - SAFETY AND SECURITY - Human Factors;
NTL - SAFETY AND SECURITY - Highway Safety;
NTL - REFERENCES AND DIRECTORIES - Statistics |
Geographical
Coverage |
North Carolina |
| Resource type |
Research Paper |
| URL |
http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/12000/12900/12918/CellPhone2002Report.pdf |
| Format |
PDF |
| Language: |
English |
| Database |
NTL Digital Repository |
TRT
