The government reported that 5,870 people were killed and 515,000 were injured last
year in crashes where at least one form of driver distraction was reported. Driver distraction was involved in 16 percent
of all fatal crashes in 2008 and prevalent among many young drivers.
Eighteen
states and the District of Columbia have passed laws making texting while driving illegal and seven states and the District
have banned driving while talking on a hand-held cell phone, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Many
safety groups have urged a nationwide ban on texting and on using hand-held mobile devices while behind the wheel.
Researchers grappled with the question of whether using a hands-free device was safer
than using a hand-held phone behind the wheel. One researcher cautioned that hands-free devices could still cause distractions
if the driver needed to dial the phone or handle the device.
"I
think it's important that we recognize that hands free is not risk free," said Dr. John Lee, a University of Wisconsin
researcher.
Others said laws banning hand-held cell phone use
by drivers would be easier to enforce and warned that total bans could preclude technologies such as General Motors' OnStar,
an in-vehicle system that alerts emergency rescue officials to a crash.
