Talking on a cell phone while driving is not only dangerous, but a new study claims it also be to blame for traffic jams. This reminds me of a study that people were more likely to quit smoking because it causes wrinkles then because it causes cancer. The risks of crashing might not make you stop using your cell phone phone while driving, but if it adds 10 minutes to your commute then it might be worth waiting to call until you get home.
Researchers at the University of Utah suggest drivers who talk on cell phones drive more slowly on the freeway, pass sluggish vehicles less often and take longer to complete their trips.
Earlier studies found that cell phone users follow at greater distances, are slower to hit the brakes and are slower to regain speed after braking. But such research didn't examine how traffic efficiency is influenced by individual cell phone users.
The new study involved 36 University of Utah psychology undergraduates. On a driving simulator, each student drove through six, 9.2-mile-long freeway scenarios, two each in low, medium and high density traffic, corresponding to freeway speeds of 70 mph to 40 mph. Each 9.2-mile drive included 3.9 miles with two lanes in each direction and 5.3 miles with three lanes each way. Traffic speed and flow mimicked Interstate 15 in Salt Lake City.
"Results indicated that, when drivers conversed on a cell phone, they made fewer lane changes, had a lower overall mean speed and a significant increase in travel time in the medium and high density driving conditions," the researchers wrote.
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