CAR TELEPHONE USE, DRIVER BEHAVIOUR AND ACCIDENT RISK: A DISCUSSION OF RESEARCH RESULTS AND POSSIBLE RISK-REDUCING MEASURES

MOBILTELEFONBRUK, KJOEREATFERD OG ULYKKESRISKO: VURDERING AV FORSKNINGSRESULTATER, KUNNSKAPSBEHOV OG MULIGE TILTAK

To assess effects of mobile telephone use on car driving behavior, 16 experimental studies from several countries were surveyed. Increased variation of lateral position and more driving errors have been found during originating of telephone calls, especially when the keypad is held in the hand or placed on the middle console. Performance tends to deteriorate also during the phone conversation, shown primarily by increased reaction time and reduced headways. Performance decrements increase with the complexity of the telephone task, and are larger among the older than among the younger drivers. Accident risk is probably enhanced during telepohoning, although conclusive studies of telephone involvement in accidents are lacking. Traffic safety can probably be increased by legal measures regulating the use of telephones while driving, as well as by improved facilities for handsfree use both while placing the call and while carrying out the conversation. Future research is needed to get better estimates of the number of accidents where telephone use has been a contributing cause.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Text in Norwegian, summary in English.
• Corporate Authors:

  Norwegian Institute of Transport Economics

  Gransesvingen 7, P.O. Box 6110, Etterstad
  Oslo,   Norway  N-0602
• Authors:
  • Sagberg, F
  • Vaa, T
• Publication Date: 1995-12

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: 66 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Behavior; Drivers; Risk assessment; Telephone
• Old TRIS Terms: Accident risks; Car telephone use
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00726786
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: TOI-1020-19954,
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Oct 19 1996 12:00AM