By James Limbach
ConsumerAffairs.com
September 28, 2009
The vast majority of U.S. drivers believes handheld texting while driving is very dangerous and should be banned nationwide, according to a new national survey.
According to the survey, conducted by Penn, Schoen & Berland Associates on behalf of the Ford Motor Company, 86 percent of U.S. drivers believe handheld texting while driving is "very dangerous" and 93 percent support a nationwide ban on it.
At the same time, only 42 percent of those asked think drivers would stop texting behind the wheel if the practice were banned. However, more than 75 percent say there would be more compliance if hands-free or voice-activated technologies were widely available.
"Research shows that activity that draws drivers' eyes away from the road for an extended period while driving, such as text messaging, substantially increases the risk of accidents," said Jim Vondale, director of Ford's Automotive Safety Office. "That is why we support a nationwide ban on handheld texting while driving and why Ford has developed hands-free and voice-activated technologies to allow drivers to remain connected, but to do so while keeping their hands on the wheel and their eyes on the road."
Ford commissioned the survey as part of its efforts to understand driver perceptions related to distracted driving. Ford last week endorsed a proposed nationwide ban on handheld texting introduced by Senator Charles E. Schumer (D-NY) and Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY).
The survey shows that 67 percent of drivers said they believe voice-activated technology is a safe alternative to texting, and 76 percent said such a feature would be an appealing feature in a car.
The survey results come as the U.S. Department of Transportation is scheduled to host a summit on driver distraction in Washington, D.C.
According to the survey, there is confusion among drivers over existing state laws prohibiting handheld cell phone use and/or texting while driving. Currently 18 states have enacted such bans but nearly 40 percent of drivers in these states indicated they were unaware of the ban in their own state.
Research on driving solutions
According to a NHTSA-sponsored 100-car study conducted by Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, driver inattention that may involve looking away from the road for more than a few seconds is a factor in nearly 80 percent of accidents.
"A growing number of drivers are using handheld wireless communications and music-playing devices while driving," said Dr. Louis Tijerina, Ford senior technical specialist. "Research clearly shows that manual operation of those devices that takes the driver's eyes from the road for an extended period of time creates the kind of distraction that causes accidents."
In addition, said Jeff Greenberg, senior technical leader, Ford Research & Advanced Engineering, "Our studies show that teens are much more willing to take risks while driving, such as manually dialing on a mobile phone in situations that demand greater attention."
