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https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/27432/critical-issues-in-transportation-for-2024-and-beyond

CELL PHONE USE WHILE DRIVING IN NORTH CAROLINA: 2002 UPDATE REPORT

This follow-on to an earlier study was carried out to further understanding regarding the safety implications of cellular telephone use while driving. The study involved three separate tasks: (1) a statewide telephone survey to gather information on cell phone use and user characteristics, along with drivers' opinions regarding the safety and potential regulation of cell phone use while driving; (2) an analysis of the characteristics of cell phone-related crashes, based on 452 cell phone crashes identified from an earlier computerized narrative search of North Carolina crash data; and (3) a supplementary data collection activity by the North Carolina State Highway Patrol to identify and report cell phone-related crashes occurring statewide over a two-month period. The statewide telephone survey was conducted during the early summer of 2002 and targeted 500 users and 150 non-users of cell phones. All participants were licensed North Carolina drivers aged 18 and older. Key findings from the telephone survey include the following: An estimated 58.8% of the state's licensed drivers have used a cell phone while driving; Cell phone use levels were highest among drivers in the 25-39 and 40-54 year age categories; Other demographic characteristics did not differ significantly for users versus non-users, although a higher proportion of users than non-users drove sport utility vehicles; The average reported time per day spent talking on a cell phone while driving was 14.5 minutes, while the median reported time was much lower at 5.0 minutes; One in four users reported having a hand-free device, but they did not always use the device when talking on their cell phones; Users generally perceived talking on cell phones while driving to be less distracting and less of a safety concern than did non-users. To examine the characteristics of cell phone-related crashes, a computerized narrative search of all reported crashes occurring in the state from Jan. 1, 1996 through Aug. 31, 2000 resulted in the identification of 452 cell phone-related crashes. The characteristics of these crashes were compared with the nearly 1.1 million non-cell phone crashes occurring in the state during the same time period. Results showed that: Cell phone crashes were less likely than non-cell phone crashes to result in serious or fatal injury, were nearly twice as likely to involve rear-end collisions, and involved approximately equal proportions of ran-off-road and angle collisions; Cell phone crashes were somewhat more likely to occur during the mid-day or afternoon hours and to occur in urban areas, on local streets, and at roadway locations with no special feature; Compared to non-users, drivers who were using their cell phone at the tome of their crash were more likely to be male, under the age of 55, and driving a sport utility vehicle; The most commonly identified driver violations for cell phone users involved in crashes were failure to reduce speed, traffic signal violation, speeding, following too closely, and failure to yield.

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  • Supplemental Notes:
    • This study was supported by the North Carolina Governor's Highway Safety Program.
  • Corporate Authors:

    University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

    Highway Safety Research Center
    Chapel Hill, NC  United States  27599
  • Authors:
    • Stutts, J C
    • Huang, H F
    • Hunter, W W
  • Publication Date: 2002-12

Language

  • English

Media Info

  • Features: Appendices; Figures; References; Tables;
  • Pagination: 66 p.

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 00941243
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Report/Paper Numbers: Final Project Report, HS-043 527
  • Files: HSL, NTL, TRIS
  • Created Date: Apr 1 2003 12:00AM