Callers warned that phones distract drivers' attention

By Jayne O'Donnell

Using cellular phones while driving can be unsafe, not that it should come as any surprise.

A recent report-of-sorts out of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)in the United States says the problem is so serious it requires... more study. After considerable lobbying by powerful wireless communications interests, it took the bureaucrats at NHTSA over a year to draw even this cautious conclusion.

The NHTSA was also careful to note that cellular phones and other forms of wireless communications carry significant benefits: In getting medical assistance in emergencies; in conveying information about road hazards; and for personal security.

But there's no getting away from the fact that driver inattention contributes to about half of all crashes and that at least 50 deaths a year may be attributed, in part, to cellular phone use. However, industry advocates and NHTSA officials alike are hoping the crashes don't keep up with the growth in cell phone use. The number of cell phones has risen from 345,000 in 1985 to more than 50 million today. By 2000, more than 80 million people are expected to be using cell phones.

Federal officials analyzed police crash reports in North Carolina and found that an increase in crashes could be tied to the increases in cell phone use. But, as in the rest of the report, the agency is being so careful not to draw negative conclusions that they hedge about drawing conclusions.

In an interview, NHTSA chief Ricardo Martinez did say he thinks motorists are being "driven to distraction", mostly by cell phones and what he calls "dashboard dining" -- or eating while driving. And from the looks of the cars of the future displayed at motor shows, it's going to get worse before it gets better. Martinez notes that some automakers are showing off microwave ovens and heating and cooling cupholders in cars. Add on-board navigation systems, laptop computers, portable fax machines and complex stereo systems to the mix and you may have the recipe for an accident.

"Pretty soon, we're going to be part-time drivers," Martinez says.

Martinez says there are three principal types of distractions: physical distractions such as using your hands to change a radio station; visual distractions that occur when you take your eyes off the road to do something; and mental distractions that occur when you're looking straight ahead, but deep in thought. By using a cell phones, all three can easily be occurring simultaneously.

Martinez is particularly concerned that some portable phones have so many buttons that a driver may need to take his eyes off the road for longer periods than usual, simply to operate the more complicated device.

The NHTSA has been using in-car cameras to record drivers' responses when they are driving while talking on the phone and engaging in other distracting activities, like eating. In the process, they've made some interesting, if inconclusive, observations. Taking a bite out of food can send you veering a bit off the road, for example. And other studies of drivers on test tracks and using simulators show that it's not dialing a cell phone -- as most would expect -- that is causing the most hazardous distractions. The evidence clearly shows that talking on the phone can actually be more distracting.

Dialing a cell phone can disrupt a driver's ability to maintain a steady speed and stay in the proper lane. These problems don't show up consistently -- and aren't necessarily any worse than the distraction of changing a radio station. The NHTSA notes that voice-activated dialing might remedy some of the distractions that occur. The agency points out that talking does have a negative effect on drivers' ability to see problems, but not usually their ability to actually control the car.

So, what to do? Short of regulating cell phone use -- a step that Martinez says would not solve the problem -- the NHTSA is recommending that:

* States urge law enforcement officials to record the use of a cell phone on crash reports and also on moving violations that aren't associated with accidents.

* Educational materials about cell phone distractions be distributed to consumers. The materials would alert drivers to signs that other motorists may be distracted; warn about road conditions that make it particularly hazardous to talk and drive; and give tips on how to postpone phone use until the safest times.

* Companies work to develop technology that takes driver distraction into account. For example, the NHTSA is encouraging greater use of features -- such as those found on Cadillac and Lincoln models -- that use satellite and cell phone technology for safety purposes.

In the meantime, lacking clear federal guidance, the best advice for those using cell phones is to pull over -- when it is safe to do so -- before dialing or talking on the phone. Use common sense. Don't talk and drive in hazardous driving conditions, including heavy traffic, unless it is an absolute emergency. And, if you're buying a car with a built-in phone or a cell phone you'll be using in your car, narrow your choices to phones that suit your business or personal needs.

Then take a hard look at how many buttons there are and how easy it is to see them. Take a test drive if you can -- during daylight and nighttime hours. And choose the best and safest one in your price range.