Why Drivers Use Cell Phones and Support Legislation to Restrict This Practice

A study was conducted to investigate why people talk on a cell phone while driving and why they also support legislation to restrict this practice. Participants completed a survey about their driving attitudes, abilities, and behaviors, and performed the Operation Span (OSPAN) task. They reported using cell phones for benefits such as connecting with friends and getting work done. They generally acknowledged the risks of using a cell phone while operating a motor vehicle but downplayed them relative to drinking and driving. Regression analyses suggest that people talk on a cell phone, in part, because they believe they are personally capable of driving safely while doing so. However, there was little relation between participants’ self-assessments of their ability to drive safely and their actual multitasking ability as measured by the OSPAN task. Participants saw others’ usage of cell phones while driving as much riskier than their own. Support for laws to restrict cellular communication was strongly predicted by the perceived threat to public safety presented by others’ cell phone usage. In addition, as the perceived benefits of cell phone use decreased, support for legislation increased.

• Record URL:
  https://www.ugpti.org/resources/reports/details.php?id=871
• 
• Summary URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/32242
• Record URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/32241
• Supplemental Notes:
  • This document was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation, University Transportation Centers Program.
• Corporate Authors:

  University of Utah, Salt Lake City

  Salt Lake City, UT  United States 

  Mountain-Plains Consortium

  North Dakota State University
  Fargo, ND  United States  58108

  Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology

  University Transportation Centers Program
  Department of Transportation
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Sanbonmatsu, David M
  • Strayer, David L
  • Behrends, Arwen A
  • Medeiros-Ward, Nathan
  • Watson, Jason M
• Publication Date: 2017-4

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 31p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Attitudes; Behavior; Cellular telephones; Driver performance; Drivers; Highway safety; Legislation; Regression analysis; Surveys
• Subject Areas: Highways; Law; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01634891
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: MPC-17-323
• Contract Numbers: 407
• Files: UTC, NTL, TRIS, ATRI, USDOT
• Created Date: May 17 2017 5:05PM