Safety Foundation Says Even Handsfree Unsafe
The report says Americans are driving with a false sense of security
By TJ SULLIVAN
Updated 7:43 AM PDT, Mon, Dec 15, 2008
File this one with all the other no-duh studies on which time and money was spent by otherwise sensible institutions. The American Automobile Association's Foundation for Traffic Safety says in a new report that it's unsafe for drivers to talk on the phone regardless of how they do it, handsfree or otherwise.
Yep. No duh.
Foundation President Peter Kissinger is quoted in the Daily News of Los Angeles explaining that most Americans are in denial. "Too many Americans are driving with the false sense of security that hands-free devices are somehow safer, which could be a deadly mistake," he says in the story.
Most of the veteran commuters in Los Angeles could have told you that without a moment's hesitation, of course, they'd prefer you wait to ask until they're done talking on the phone.
A few factoids from the AAA Foundation's fact sheet on the report:
... 53% of drivers admitted having talked on a cell phone while driving and 17% admitted doing it often or very often.
... Two out of three respondents aged 18 to 34 reported using cell phones while driving ...
... 83% of drivers felt that drivers using cell phone was a serious problem, but 46% of those same drivers also admitted to using a cell phone while driving.
Copyright NBC Local Media
First Published: Dec 15, 2008 6:51 AM PDT
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