Vehicle Facts
Brain distraction a major factor in auto accidents
We have all heard that the use of cell phones while driving is dangerous, and can lead to auto accidents. The National Safety Council has estimated that 1.6 million crashes occur annually due to cell phone use while driving. This means that roughly 28% of all auto accidents involve the use of a cell phone while driving. A study released by the National Safety Council in March also added another interesting opinion: that the use of hands free cell phones do not reduce the risks associated with using a cell phone while driving. The paper references over thirty scientific studies to show that the danger of using a cell phone while driving, hands free or otherwise, is that it leads to a "distracted brain" that weakens the brains ability to capture driving clues. The NSC concluded that the use of a hands free cell phone is a serious public health threat, that can lead to car accidents causing injury. The impression that the use of hands free cell phones are safe is not borne out by scientific studies. The use of any electronic communication device while driving substantially increased the risk of brain distraction, which increases the risk of an auto accident and injury.
