Law Technology

Cell Phone Use While Driving

In a recent discussion, several lawyers thought that a jury would react more harshly to a driver talking on a cell phone while getting into an accident than a drunk driver. It’s a conscious choice to talk on the phone in a traffic situation and I think that most people can relate to that.

Thomas Creech gave an excellent list of articles to research on cell phone use and the increased risk of collisions.

1. Association Between Cellular Telephone Calls and Motor Vehicle Collision. D.A. Redelmier and R.J. Tibshrani. NEJM February 14, 1997 pp 453-8
2. Cautions about Car Telephones and Collision. Editorial M. Maclure and M.A. Mittleman NEJM February 14, 1997 pp 506-7
3. Cellular Telephones and Traffic Accidents Correspondence NEJM July 16, 1997, pp 127-9
4. Study Analyzes Cell Phone Use in Fatal Collision. Highway and Vehicle/Safety Report August 3, 1998 p. 4
5. Cellular Telephone Use and Fatal Traffic Collision: A commentary, D.J. Cher, R.J. Mrad and M. Kelsh. Accident Analysis and Prevention, 31(5) 1999, p. 599
6. Driver Distraction with Wireless Telecommunication and Route Guidance Systems. L Tijerina, NHTSA, July 2000, 94p
7. In-vehicle cell phones: fatal distraction? D. Curry. Professional Safety, Vol. 47, No.3, March 2002, pp 28-33
8. Cell Phones and driving: how risky? D Ropeik. Consumers Research Magazine, Vol 86, No.1 January 2003, pp 14-16.

I have switched to a hands-free system and don’t use the phone in heavy traffic. Thanks for the references Tom, those will be great to look up.

Full post as published by South Carolina Trial Law Blog on October 14, 2008 (boomark / email).