ARRL questions risk of cell phone use while driving [telecom]

Dec 15, 2011 2 Replies
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The American Radio Relay League, which represents many Ham Radio operators such as I, has sent a letter to its members which questions the accuracy of two studies that found increased risk of accidents by those using cellphones while driving.



ARRL Chief Executive Officer David Sumner, K1ZZ, wrote about NTSB initiatives to prohibit cellphone use, and questioned if the earlier studies were accurate, citing a story by Amy Norton at Reuters which questions the statistical methodology of the earlier works.



The Reuters story "Studies may have overestimated cellphone crash risk" is at

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Anyone who isn't blind can easily observe that cellphone using and/or texting drivers on the streets, byways, turnpikes, highways, freeways and even in parking lots are as least as dangerous as drunk drivers.

No study is even needed to confirm the obvious: distracted driving (cellphone/texting usage) is dangerous.

My question: why are so many people, who should know better, in denial?

***** Moderator's Note *****

I doubt Mr. Sumner is in denial, but he /is/ trying to make sure that any new laws regarding cellular use have exceptions for ham radio operators, so that "cell phone" bans don't affect those using two-way (push-to-talk) radios on Amateur frequencies.

Bill Horne Moderator

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This happened to me just this morning, around 5am so it was still dark.

Four lane divided road. I'm behind a large suburban, who suddenly comes to a complete panic stop. I swerved around him to find a VW Beetle stopped in the middle of the two lanes, the operator chatting away on a cell phone. The Beetle driver had just slowed down, and stopped, in traffic.

I can't imagine that this [law] will ever come into effect, but it would be a good thing.

Regards,

charlie

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