Using the Phone While Driving

Statement of Scope

Using the phone while driving is a common practice among many people every day. This trend is experienced due to increase in number of phones in the market for the last fifteen years. Traffic departments have documented the rules and directives that drivers need o observe while driving in order to drive safe. Most researches argue that most men use their phones while driving compared to women. Nevertheless, the underpinning reasons why drivers use their phones while driving can be well explained and understood by these two scientific theories; keeping in touch and time management. To experience this scenario, I stationed myself near the junction of California University where traffic activity is busy. The main things that I was looking are the frequency at which men and women drivers used their phones while driving and the precautionary measures that the drivers put in place to ensure safe driving while using phones.

The choice of the venue was motivated by the heavy traffic. For a clear view of what was taking place in the vehicles, I stood few meters away from the junction at a vantage point that allowed me to see what happened in the vehicle. The aim was to see whether drivers used their phones while driving or not. Because of the heavy traffic in the evenings and morning hours, I conducted my observations at these hours. Furthermore, because of women empowerment and economic stability, most women have vehicles and therefore, this allowed me to analysis the behaviors of both men and women. Because my observation was on use of phones by drivers, this was the right place for me to gather information as most of the people are heading to work or going back home from work.

From the point I was standing, an estimate of 50 vehicles passed by me within a span of five minutes. The vehicles drove in different directions and the ratio of men to women driving them was more or less the same. Because, the junction was few meters, the drivers had to slow down their vehicle to allow free flow of traffic. This enabled me time to observe the drivers behaviors, specifically whether they used their phones or not. According to Lisa (2002), when drivers reach at a junction, they are required to reduce their speed because of the high traffic flow. Therefore, these opportunities triggered many drivers to use their phones either to call their friends and family members’ i.e. keep in touch. When traffic flows slows, the need to keep in touch increases. This therefore provokes use of phones by most drivers.

From the vantage point that I stood, I vividly observed the behaviors of drivers in their car. Most of the drivers especially men dialed their phones and even received calls from their friends and other people while they drove. For instance, in the event that, the traffic slowed, some motorists, engaged with their phone either responding to a call or initiating a call. This therefore demonstrated the sense of drivers keeping in touch with the other people.

Lisa Dorn. Driver behavior and training, 4(2010):237 Print.

In respect to the objective of the study, which was to find out the frequency at which drivers-both men and women use their hand phones, a considerable number of drivers used their mobile phones while driving. The high rate of people using mobile phone while driving is attributed to the increase in supply of mobile phones, and the fact that it is the most efficient mode of communication. Even though legislations have been passed in some countries deterring or restricting use of phones while driving, others have not passed such laws. In countries that such laws have been passed-laws restricting driving and at the same time communicating through the phone like US, still some driver ignore such laws. Most of the drivers spotted driving while using phones were answering calls from callers. Actually, I spotted no driver initiating a call to other people. May be this scenario can be explained or understood that it requires both hands for a driver to dial the number and it requires a lot of attention as compared to receiving a call as it requires to push a button and begin talking.

I also observed some drivers communicating on phone using hand held phones as opposed to free and phones. This is because hand held phones are easy to use, as the driver is able to control the vehicle easily compared to when using free hand phones. However, there is still danger as such distraction may cause an accident. The theory on time management helps to explain the reasons why these drivers use their phones while driving. Using phones while driving helps save time as the driver is able to give directives to the subordinates without necessarily meeting the person. A good example of this assertion is evidenced from the study that was done in Spain in 2007 (Lisa 237). In the study, it was revealed that more than 60% of drivers use phones while driving despite the behavior being unlawful/illegal. Most o the divers interviewed said that they used their phone to save on time and keep in touch with their relatives and other accomplices.

Arthur, Goodwin. Guidance for implementation of the AASHTO strategic highway safety plan: A guide for reducing collisions involving young drivers, 9 (2001):1-500. Print

In US, the use of cell phones among drivers is a commonplace activity as one amongst three drivers use a phone while driving while one out of four drivers use the phone at least half-way of the journey (Arthur 32). Furthermore, an observational study that was conducted in 2002 on US roads showed that 5% of drivers used either a free hand or hand held phone while driving. This statistics increased from 3% that was recorded in 2000 (Arthur 43). Young people are the most affected category of the population that continues to use mobile phones when driving. This category of the population is very energetic and optimistic about life compared to older drivers who are more concerned about their safety and that of other users. Furthermore, older drivers are likely to abide by the law compared to the younger generation. For instance, according to Arthur, 8% of young people aged between the age of 16 and 24 years drove while speaking on the phone in 2002 (43). This statistics actually resonates with what I found out on the roads. Most of the young drivers regardless of their gender often talked on phone while driving compared to the older generation. The factors behind this observation seem to be true as most young people have lots of energy and excitement about life. I also observed that many men talked on phone compared to women. The length of conversation among men was long compared to that of women indicating that women are conscious about the dangers that talking on phone while driving has.

James Nairne. Psychology: the adaptive mind: Setting priorities for mental functioning; Attention. (2006): 193. Print.

Even though studies reveal that use of phone cause both mental/cognitive and physical distraction to both the male and female, through my observation at the junction, I witnessed one driver loss control of his vehicle after attempting to make a call. The vehicle veered off the road and ramped into a shop causing minor injuries the driver. The driver was a young man and when the police inquired the cause of the accident, he denied the cause to be due to use of phone claiming it was a mechanical problem. For instance, in a study conducted in Australia in 2005, it revealed that the likelihood of a crash was high for drivers that used phone and that the risk of a crash was similar to both men and women. Furthermore, in Canada, a study affirmed that the risk of collision was four times high in situations where either a handheld or a hand free cell was being used. On the other hand, in Washington DC, in metropolitan area it was revealed that accidents and crashes or near crashes related to use of phones was at 7% (James 193). Likewise, through my observation, I found out that most of the drivers that were using cell phone while driving had a problem balancing their vehicle or keeping on track in situation where they were required to react quickly to unexpected circumstances such as potholes, bumps and animals crossing the road.

Despite these stringent laws and restrictions on using phones while driving, many motorists like using phone when driving and most of them have not put in place measure to avoid errors that result from the behavior. For instance, in a study carried out in Western Australia in the year 2001, 1.5% of drivers used their phones while driving. The number represented both male and women. Likewise, as per my observations, I noticed that all drivers despite their gender used their phone while driving, however, the number of men were higher than that of women with approximately men being at 60% while women at 40%. These differences however have no correlation to the rate of accidents caused. Men used phones more because they have an ego in themselves and want to demonstrate their capabilities to multitask. On the other hand, many women did not use their phones because they were more concerned about their safety. I also observed a driver who was about to cause an accident while talking on the phone while driving. The driver had been affected emotionally with the news that his wife who was suffering from diabetes had passed on. This was revealed after the police apprehended the man for reckless driving.

Lisa Guerin and Amy Delpo. The manager’s legal handbook. Healthy and safety.6^th edition (2009):281. Print

Even though it is difficult to assert that most accidents that happen on our roads are as a result of using phones while driving, this is a risk behavior that contributes to collisions and risks that happen on roads. As Lisa and Delpo suggests, using phones is a behavior that is dominant among male and most often the phone is used in keeping in touch with loved one and other accomplices. These claims were proved right from my own observation that indeed there is high number of drivers especially men that use phones while driving. Most of the drivers have not put in place measures to ensure safe use of phones and this is one of the causes of errors that occur on our roads. However, both men and women have equal chances of causing accidents on roads and therefore, both should take up the initiative to avoid using phones while driving to ensure that driving is safe. For sure, using phones while driving is an interesting area that researchers ought to investigate in detail.

Works Cited

Arthur, Goodwin. Guidance for implementation of the AASHTO strategic highway safety plan: A guide for reducing collisions involving young drivers, 9 (2001):1-500. Print

Retrieved from:

http://books.google.co.ke/books?id=UGYwDlmysWgC&pg=SL22- PA20&dq=using+the+phone+while+driving&hl=sw&sa=X&ei=vJf5T8SEFovQrQeo9s3 DBg&ved=0CFwQ6AEwBw#v=onepage&q=using%20the%20phone%20while%20drivi ng&f=false

James Nairne. Psychology: the adaptive mind: Setting priorities for mental functioning; Attention. (2006): 193. Print.

Retrieved from: http://books.google.co.ke/books?id=ZWiqf0PWI4QC&pg=PA193&dq=using+the+phone +while+driving&hl=sw&sa=X&ei=vJf5T8SEFovQrQeo9s3DBg&ved=0CE4Q6AEwBQ #v=onepage&q=using%20the%20phone%20while%20driving&f=false

Lisa Guerin and Amy Delpo. The manager’s legal handbook. Healthy and safety.6^th edition (2009):281. Print

Retrieved from: http://books.google.co.ke/books?id=HPtdw6HLdIIC&pg=PA281&dq=using+the+phone +while+driving&hl=sw&sa=X&ei=vJf5T8SEFovQrQeo9s3DBg&ved=0CC0Q6AEwAA #v=onepage&q=using%20the%20phone%20while%20driving&f=false

Lisa Dorn. Driver behavior and training, 4(2010):237 Print.

Retrieved from: http://books.google.co.ke/books?id=AttAdAwJ5HwC&pg=PA145&dq=Lisa+Dorn.+Driv er+behavior+and+training,+4%282010%29:237&hl=en&sa=X&ei=1R31T5TiIs_vsgb6ns jEBQ&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false