Safety tip of the week: Hang up and drive!
July 22, 2005

Showing an astounding grasp of what millions of people have known for years, a study released Tuesday shows that people who yak on their cell phones while driving are more likely to have an accident.

As they say in France, "Well, spank my butt and call me Betty."

My own reaction had something to do with a guy named Sherlock, but it's not printable in a family paper.

Research by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reveals that drivers using cellular phones are four times as likely to get into a crash that can cause injuries serious enough to send them to the hospital.

It should come as no surprise to anyone who's actually tried it that using a hands-free device makes little difference; driving and talking are not a good mix.

"You'd think using a hands-free phone would be less distracting," said Anne McCartt, one of the study's authors and the institute's vice president for research.

You'd also think that people are smart enough to realize that driving requires full-time attention; you'd think, but you would be wrong.

The study found an overall fourfold increase in injury crashes when drivers were using cell phones. Researchers said that substantially more drivers were using their phones when they crashed compared with other similar periods of driving.

Paging Dr. Sherlock – you're needed in ER.

With more boneheads dialing and driving than ever, lawmakers have tried to find ways of reducing driver distraction. Here's a hint, guys – eight states, including Oklahoma, prevent the local government from restricting cell phone use in motor vehicles. Want to do the smart thing? Just check to see how they do it in Oklahoma, then do exactly the opposite. It's not foolproof, but it's a start.

The study was the first to see if phone use increases the risk of an injury crash in automobiles. So, it takes a study to figure out that a 98-pound woman wrestling a 3,000-pound Navigator while calling the day spa is a prescription for an accident?

What I'd like to see is some research into driving with a paper bag over your head; I'm curious to know if that would increase your chances of having an accident. And would it matter if the bag were from HEB or Randall's? Give me the funds and I'll do the test myself.