Cell Phones and Driving—Dangerous but Popular
Seniors are far less likely than younger adults to talk on their cell phones while driving, according to a 2006 online survey conducted by Harris Interactive. Baby boomers are the next least likely age group to combine cell phones and driving.
The survey found that:
- 78 percent of all adults 18 and older are both drivers and cell phone owners.
- 73 percent of those adults admitted to talking on their cell phones while driving, even though more than half of those surveyed (56 percent) said that operating a vehicle while talking on a cell phone is dangerous.
The survey also indicates that laws requiring hands-free devices may reduce cell phone use by drivers. Only 61 percent of those surveyed in states that have such laws said they use their cell phones while driving.
Cell Phones and Driving—Does Wisdom Come with Age?
- Seniors age 61 and older were the least likely (48 percent) to use a cell phone while driving.
- Baby boomers (ages 42-60 at the time the survey was conducted) were the next least-likely age group (76 percent) to chatter while driving.
- 79 percent of Generation Xers (ages 30-41) said they drive and talk on their cell phones at the same time.
- The youngest adults (ages 18-29) were the most likely (86 percent) to engage in cell phone conversations behind the wheel.
Hands-free vs Hand-held Cell Phones for Drivers
A large majority (72 percent) of those who admitted to talking on their cell phone while driving said that they hold the cell phone in their hand. Only 28 percent said that they use a hands-free device that cradles the cell phone.
Even drivers in states that have a law that requires drivers to use a hands-free device when talking on their cell phones, only 55 percent said that they actually use a hands-free device. The remaining 45 percent said that they hold the phone while talking and driving.
Cell Phones and Driving—Who Thinks It’s Dangerous?
As already noted, more than half of adults in the survey said that it is dangerous to talk on a cell phone and drive at the same time, according to the survey.
- 31 percent said it is very dangerous
- 26 percent said it is somewhat dangerous
- 18 percent said it is either slightly dangerous or not dangerous at all
The people most likely to view driving while talking on a cell phone as dangerous were:
- Seniors (69 percent)
- Those who live in states with a hands-free law (64 percent)
- Those who said they never talk on their cell phone while driving (85 percent)
Far less likely to see the practice as dangerous were people who admitted to talking on their cell phones while driving (40 percent), and the youngest adults (49 percent).
Cell phones and Driving—Do Hands-free Devices Reduce the Risks?
Many drivers acknowledge the danger of driving and talking on a cell phone, and a large majority believes using a hands-free device would be safer than holding their cell phone:
- 13 percent said a hands-free device would be much safer
- 57 percent said it would be somewhat safer
- 22 percent said that a hands-free device is no safer than holding a cell phone while driving[/li\
- Only 8 percent claimed that using a hands-free device would be more dangerous
What’s Next for Drivers with Cell Phones?
The debate about the dangers of using a cell phone while driving is sure to continue. And it seems likely that more states will pass laws requiring hands-free devices in an effort to keep the roads safer for everyone—even though some critics argue that it is the distraction of the conversation itself that causes the danger, not whether drivers are holding their cell phones or talking hands-free.
No survey designed to assess attitudes and behavior can determine whether hands-free devices actually make it safer to drive while talking on a cell phone. What is clear from the survey, however, is that in states with laws requiring the use of hands-free devices more adults acknowledge the risks of mixing cell phones and driving. In those states, fewer adults talk on their cell phones while driving, and those that do choose to chat use a hands-free device more often than drivers in other areas.
Want more information on the Harris Interactive survey about cell phones and driving? Read the full survey report.
