The debate over hand-held versus hands-free has been going on for some time now, and although many people have formulated their own opinions on this touchy subject, a California researcher is out to support the upcoming cell phone ban.
A study released Monday by Jed Kolko, fellow at the nonpartisan Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC), estimated that 300 fewer people would die each year in traffic accidents in California due to the upcoming hand-held cell phone ban for California drivers. More than 4,000 people die in traffic accidents every year in the state.
California Cell Phone Ban Effective July 1
Once July 1 rolls around for the state of California, you will be seeing a lot more hands-free devices and Bluetooth products stuck in people’s ears. California drivers over the age of 18 must use a hands-free device in order to be following the law, while drivers under the age of 18 may not use hand-held OR hands-free devices.
According to the study by the PPIC, the study finds that California’s new hands-free law should save several hundred lives a year, based on statistics and experience from other states who have already enacted the ban. The results of these laws show that mobile phone ownership is associated with higher traffic fatalities in bad weather and on wet roads. With the hands-free law in effect, the fatality rates during bad weather, wet roads, and in rush-hour traffic have been reduced.
MSNBC Article
MSNBC posted this study and discussed the findings with Kolko. Kolko tries to explain the reduction of fatalities in states with hands-free laws.
“It may be that drivers in states with hands-free laws are shifting their talking minutes to when they are not driving,” Kolko wrote in his study. “It could be that drivers find hands-free technology more cumbersome … (or that) the law in itself serves as an educational warning about the danger of talking on the phone while driving … (or) that hands-free technologies do reduce the physical distraction of using a phone, and earlier studies failed to detect this effect.” (MSNBC)
What Does This Study Mean for Me?
Well if you don’t live in California, you are in the clear, right? Wrong. This study supports hands-free driving laws across the country and believes that it can save lives. Think about it realistically for a minute. Would you rather drive with one hand on the wheel and one hand on the cell phone OR drive with both hands on the wheel and still be able to use your mobile device? To me, it seems pretty clear. Having two hands on the wheel is obviously the safest way to drive, and hands-free laws aim to show how much more safe this type of driving really is.
Bluetooth Technology
Bluetooth is the answer for hands-free laws. From Bluetooth headsets to Bluetooth speakers, you can be “hands-free” and still have two hands on the wheel by using Bluetooth technology. It is instant, safe and easy-to-use.
As hands-free laws get passed throughout the country, we are going to see the transition of hype over cell phones to hype over Bluetooth devices. But hey, the world is going blue and we are just jumping in …
del.icio.us
digg 
Tags: Bluetooth Devices, Bluetooth Technology, California, California Hands-Free Cell Phone Ban, Cell Phone Ban, Cell Phone Bans, Cell Phone Laws, Hands-free Driving Ban, July 1 2008
May 14th, 2008 at 12:02 am
I finally picked up a Bluetooth speakerphone for my car, and I feel it actually is less safe than just holding my phone the way I always have. First of all, even when not using the phone, I rarely have both hands on the steering wheel like some grandma driver. Second, having the voice on a speaker not next to my ear is distracting for me…I have to sometimes focus more on hearing the person and it actually distracts me more because of the road noise etc…
So in my opinion, this is a stupid law, and I imagine accidents due to cell phone use will actually go up.
May 14th, 2008 at 8:25 am
I understand your logic, but have you tried a Bluetooth headset as opposed to a speakerphone? That way you shouldn’t have a problem hearing, and if you so choose, there is still no law saying you have to drive like a grandma ….
I guess we’ll have to wait and see the effects of the law in California, which most likely won’t be released until the end of ‘08. But there is some proof in other states that the laws have helped decrease fatalities due to “distraction” … now it’s a waiting game!
May 18th, 2008 at 2:34 am
[…] many people have formulated their own opinions on this touchy subject, a California researcher is ohttp://blog.gammoth.com/news/study-hands-free-devices-will-save-livesWalkingHotSpot connects up to five devices via a WindowsMobile phone WindowsForDevicesWHS operates […]
June 21st, 2008 at 2:20 am
http://www.handsfreephonelaw.com has a sweet list of all the cell phone laws for each state. pretty helpful stuff!
July 1st, 2008 at 3:20 pm
Good article, law is going to help.
HandsFreed also has some information about this, many sites are popping up now ah?
http://www.handsfreed.com