I recently saw an interesting foreign news report: “Driving Cell Phone Ban Increases Accidents.” I found it thought-provoking and want to discuss it with everyone.
The news reports researchers from Canadian statistics discovering a conclusion contradicting current common sense: “When governments legally ban people from using phones while driving, car accidents actually increase”!
The article excerpt states:
Research shows banning cell phones while driving actually causes more accidents. Generally, banning communication devices while driving is believed to reduce traffic accidents and considered obvious. However, research surprisingly reached opposite conclusions, arguing this “combating distraction” law is not only ineffective but actually causes more accidents and deaths. The “Frontier Centre for Public Policy” based on Manitoba statistics found that since Manitoba’s July 2010 cell phone ban, collision accidents surged dramatically. The report indicates 2006-2008 traffic fatality numbers continuously decreased in Manitoba, but 2009 suddenly surged, 2010 improved again while the ban only implemented half that year. In 2011 when the rule was implemented full-year, car accident deaths returned to 2006 levels. Compared with 2009 and 2010, accident deaths from alcohol, drugs, and speed all decreased, thus the only explanation is the cell phone ban causes more fatal accidents. Research also compared American cities with similar laws, reaching identical conclusions. This occurs because many drivers (especially 18-24 year-olds) completely ignore this “anti-distraction” law, still calling while driving and trying hard to avoid law enforcement oversight, resulting in increased “distraction” causing accidents. The Centre believes governments implementing such laws should stop penalizing violating drivers and instead use education showing them phone distraction’s potential dangers.
After reading this, I’m sure some silently nod in agreement—consistent with my previous thoughts.
Seems like furtively, sneakily using phones while driving is more accident-prone than openly doing it. This is what the news calls increased “distraction level.”
Government’s good intention was legislation preventing cell phone use while driving, achieving focused driving.
From results, drivers ended up needing not just distraction from calling but added distraction from avoiding police.
This isn’t the government’s fault. Regarding hand-held phones while driving, I’ve done it and truly think it should be banned.
The actual problem returns to people’s law-abiding and self-protection awareness and attitudes.
I’ll first offer a description: “Using phones while driving causes distraction from calls and from phone operation. Under multiple-distraction conditions, you lack sufficient reaction capability for sudden situations.”
This statement should be simple enough everyone agrees, right?
Following this logic, you should also agree both with legislation banning driving cell phone use and with self-controlling not using phones while driving.
However, many people have used phones while driving.
One side is theory—seemingly without problems, many should agree. One side is practical experience—many have done it, not considering its correctness while doing it.
Pretty interesting, isn’t it?