There are an increasing number of preventable car accidents occurring as a result of drivers on the phone. There are more than you may think, because in some states police are not required to note whether a driver involved in an accident had been on the phone.

A 1997 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine concluded the risk associated with using a phone while driving was nearly as high as being drunk while driving, and the use of a hands-free set does not decrease the risk of an accident.

Why should we focus on a specific distraction like cell phones? Because scientific fact shows operating a cell phone while driving is a cognitive impairment. Another cognitive impairment, drunk driving, is already illegal. Talking on a cell phone causes us to withdraw from situational awareness, unlike physical impairments like eating or tuning the radio. Holding a conversation with a passenger is different because that person is aware of the driving situation and can look out for potential hazards. Hands-free phones are not a good substitution because the driver’s mind is still on the phone conversation.

The solution to this problem is simple. Tell your friends, family and colleagues that you will not answer the phone when you are driving and they should leave a message. If the call is urgent, pull over.

Finally, write your local politicians and ask them to follow New York’s lead and draft a bill banning driving while using cell phones.

Next time your phone rings while you are driving, ask yourself how important the call is. I hope you will then realize that no phone call is worth risking a person’s life.

Melissa Allman

Alumna