Abstract
Advancements in information communication technologies (ICT) have been significant in recent years.
The introduction of this paper discusses the impact of cellular phones on various aspects of our social and personal lives, particularly driving, which often has tragic consequences. The focus is on the prevalence of road accidents caused by cell phone use while driving, with experiments conducted by scholars in communication and psychology being reviewed.
Introduction
Each year, an estimated 1.3 million people worldwide lose their lives in road accidents, resulting in an average of 3,287 deaths per day ("Road Crash Statistics", 2016). Furthermore, between 20-50 million individuals sustain injuries and disabilities directly related to road accidents ("Road Crash Statistics", 2016).
Road crashes are a significant cause of death globally and are projected to be the fifth leading cause of death by 2030 if no
...action is taken to address the issue ("Road Crash Statistics", 2016). In the United States, approximately 37,000 people die annually from road accidents, with an additional 2.35 million injuries each year ("Road Crash Statistics", 2016). Individuals aged between 15 and 44 years old make up over half of all road accident fatalities and it is also the primary cause of death for those between ages 15 and 29. Consequently, these age groups are particularly vulnerable to distraction while driving due to cell phones and other technological devices.
Research has shown that using a cell phone while driving is as dangerous as driving under the legal alcohol limit (Strayer, Drews, & Crouch, 2006). This study aims to analyze various experiments on distractions caused by cell phones and other technological devices and their impact on the probability of road accidents.
Methodology
This paper reviews experiments conducted by communicatio
and psychology experts who have examined the effects of cell phone usage while driving. A total of six experiments were considered for this review.
Discussion
The first experiment analyzed was carried out by David L.
According to researchers from the University of Utah, both drunk driving and using a cell phone while driving display similar behavior. The researchers discovered that at any given hour, 8% of American drivers use their cell phones while on the road.
The impact of cell phones and other technology-based distractions on drivers is greater compared to other distractors due to their increased cognitive involvement (Strayer, Drews, & Crouch, 2006). This is especially true for young drivers who value the functions of their cell phones more than older drivers, making them more susceptible to these distractions. As a result, they may miss traffic signs, have delayed responses to the signs they do see, and have a higher likelihood of rear-end accidents while engaged in cellphone conversations.
Furthermore, distracted drivers tend to gaze at their surroundings without registering the information in their minds as they are occupied with internal cognitive processes related to conversing on their cell phones (Strayer, Drews,& Crouch , 2006).
In contrast, drunk drivers were found to be more focused on the driving process. They followed vehicles ahead more attentively and exhibited more aggressive braking behavior (Strayer,Drews,&Crouch ,2006). Despite displaying slower cognitive functioning and impaired motor skills like drunk drivers do ,cell phone-distracted drivers exhibit similar characteristics according to this study (Strayer,Drews,&Crouch ,2006).
According to a study conducted by William Consiglio, Peter Driscoll, Matthew Witte, and William P. Berg from Miami University in 2003, both drivers have an equal chance of causing a road accident. However,
the experiment also found that using cellular phones while driving decreased response time and raised the likelihood of a road accident.
A study conducted by Consiglio, Driscoll, Witte, and Berg (2003) revealed that conversing with passengers in the car had a similar impact to using a cell phone while driving. Surprisingly, listening to the radio did not affect response time for drivers. However, using a cell phone while driving led to a 19% decrease in response time. The research concluded that accidents caused by drivers distracted by cell phones were not due to looking at the screen or reduced dexterity but rather stemmed from decreased concentration resulting from engaging in conversation. Hence, this study dispelled the misconception that hands-free cell phones were safer than handheld devices for drivers.
A study conducted by Ellen Anderson, Chelsea Bierman, Julian Franko, and Amy Zelko from the University of Wisconsin in 2012 examined the effects of texting, conversing, and listening to loud music while driving. The researchers found that texting had the most significant impact on reaction time and heart rate. Engaging in a conversation affected reaction time and systolic blood pressure. However, listening to loud music had minimal effects on these areas for drivers. These effects were attributed to the increased cognitive load associated with texting and conversing compared to listening to loud music. Both texting and conversing require the individual's attention and input, causing them to lose focus on the main task of driving.
Listening to loud music does not require the driver's engagement and has no effect on their cognitive function and reaction time (Anderson et al., 2012). However, using hand-held cell phones causes physical, visual, and cognitive distractions,
increasing the risk of road accidents (Brace, Young, & Regan, 2007). Compared to hands-free cell phones, hand-held cell phones pose a higher danger due to their greater distractions. The most dangerous tasks are receiving and dialing calls, which demand the driver's visual, cognitive, and physical attention on the phone (Brace et al., 2007).
During a call, drivers' concentration on the driving task is largely consumed by their cell phone, which reduces their reaction time and increases the risk of a road accident by four times (Brace, Young & Regan 2007). According to Dick de Waard, Koen Edlinger, and Karel Brookhuis writing for the Science Journal, listening to music also affects a person's physical and cognitive attention, increasing their chances of being involved in a traffic accident. Listening to music requires concentration and often evokes emotional reactions to both the message and beat of the songs (de Waard, Edlinger, ; Brookhuis, 2011). This affects the listener's cognitive attention and sometimes even their motor skills. The use of headphones and earphones amplifies these effects, as it reduces a person's ability to hear and engage with their external driving environment (de Waard, Edlinger, ; Brookhuis, 2011).
According to Bellinger, Budde, Machida, Richardson, ; Berg (2009), various distractions such as cell phone use, conversations, and music can hinder a driver's concentration and increase the likelihood of road accidents. Their study discovered that engaging in conversations and using cell phones demands cognitive attention which results in reduced awareness of the surrounding environment. Consequently, drivers' reaction time is prolonged and they may fail to observe traffic signals. This distraction was identified as a factor that heightens the chance of rear-end collisions due to
delayed response time. However, the research also revealed that listening to music while driving has minimal impact on a driver's attention span, reaction time, and motor skills.
The study examined the minimal impact of distraction caused by listening to music on a driver's cognitive and physical attention. It was found that, compared to using cell phones and engaging in conversations while driving, listening to music did not significantly increase a driver's reaction time. This is because drivers who listen to music are more aware of their surroundings.
References:
1. Anderson, E., Bierman, C., Franko, J., & Zelko, A. The effects of audio and visual distractions on reaction time; Madison, Wisconsin University Press
2. Bellinger, D., Budde, B., Machida, M., Richardson,G., & Berg,W.(2009). The effect of cellular telephone conversation and music listening on response time in braking.Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology And Behaviour,
12(6), 441-451.http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.trf.2009.08.007
3.Braces,C.L., Young,K.L., Regan,M
A., Sweden.,& Monash University. (2007). Analysis of the literature: The use of mobile phones while driving. Borla?nge, Sweden: Va?gverket.
The article "Effect of cellular telephone conversations and other potential interference on reaction time in a braking response" published in Accident Analysis & Prevention, 35(4), 495-500, examines the impact of cellular telephone conversations and other potential interferences on reaction time during braking response. Another study titled "Effects of listening to music, and of using a handheld and handsfree telephone on cycling behaviour" by deWaard, D., Edlinger, K., &Brookhuis, K. (2011) investigates the effects of listening to music and using different types of telephones on cycling behavior, published in Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology AndBehaviour, 14(6), 626-637. Road Crash Statistics is another important source of
information on the topic.
(2016). Asirt.org. Retrieved 2 November 2016, from https://asirt.org/initiatives/informing-road-users/road-safety-facts/road-crash-statistics
Hum Factors, 48(2), 381-391. http://dx.doi.org/10.1518/001872006777724471
