| Cell phones have been getting a bad rap for | | | | distract a driver enough to cause an |
| years. It is now illegal to use a cell phone | | | | accident. The investigators found that while |
| that you aren't operating in "hands-free" | | | | people engage in active animated |
| mode in many states, and lots of cities. What | | | | conversation, they tend to move their eyes in |
| is worse if that now there are ordinances and | | | | directions appropriate to the conversation, |
| legislation being introduced that would make | | | | and not to any other activity they may be |
| it illegal to use a cell phone not in | | | | engaged in, (like driving). |
| hand-free node while walking on city streets, | | | | |
| and some are even proposing the banning of | | | | We are, however, being sold the idea that you |
| the use of iPods by pedestrians. | | | | need to have a cell phone in your car. The |
| | | | wonderful new service called On-Star by GM |
| The issue is, of course, highway safety. The | | | | gives you some very interesting, albeit |
| subset of that issue, which nobody is talking | | | | invasive, services that might just save your |
| about directly, is that it is really driver | | | | life. On-Star can tell if your air-bag has |
| and/or pedestrian distraction which is | | | | been deployed, and the service will call you |
| causing accidents and fatalities on the | | | | to assess your injuries and need for aid. The |
| highways and streets of our nation. Only one | | | | GPS tracking in the phone installed in your |
| small piece of research addressed this issue | | | | car will allow the On-Star operator to |
| and declared that there are many activities | | | | dispatch help to the site of your accident |
| that drivers engage in which can distract | | | | even if you don't know where you are. |
| drivers long enough to cause accidents. One | | | | |
| of these activities is eating, especially | | | | Give the service credit where it is due; they |
| hot, or hard to handle foods and drinks. | | | | do recommend that you pull over and stop your |
| Pouring coffee on yourself while driving has | | | | car before you make a call or answer one. On |
| a much higher potential for disaster than | | | | the other hand, the non handset, non earpiece |
| making a cell phone call. | | | | phone used can be a major distraction to the |
| | | | driver even if the driver is only listening |
| It seems that wherever you go, people are | | | | to a passenger conversing with a friend. |
| engaged in conversations with what appear to | | | | |
| be invisible others. It used to be a sign of | | | | We are being given new and sophisticated |
| insanity, but these days it is more likely a | | | | tools that could not have even dreamed of not |
| sign of a hands free cell phone in use. One | | | | too long ago; we will have to get used to |
| survey indicated that hands free cell phone | | | | these tools and learn to use them and survive |
| use was as likely as held cell phone usage to | | | | them. |