In the News--Cell phone use while driving

According to a study the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), 69% of U.S. drivers admitted that they talked on their cell phone in the last 30 days (compared to 21 % of United Kingdom drivers).  31% of American drivers had read or sent text messages within the last month.  This compared to 15% of drivers in Spain.

This study found that both men and women use their cell phones while driving.  People aged 25-44 talked on their phones more than older people (ages 55-64) while 18-34 year olds used the text and email functions on their cell phones more than older people (ages 45-64).  Could our comfort with technology influence why we do these things?  My parents certainly never embraced a cell phone like I have so they never considered talking on a phone while driving.  Texting isn’t a concern for me either.   I do have to remind myself to make “I’m coming home” calls before I put my car into motion. 

The CDC staff urges caution and reminds us that cell phone usage can be a “fatal distraction.”  A word to the wise…   More information on this topic can be found at http://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2013/p0314_driving_mobile_device_use.html  more information next time about distractions while driving.