RODALE NEWS, EMMAUS, PA—Because of an executive order signed by President Obama late Wednesday evening, federal employees are now banned from using cellphones to call or send text messages while driving federally owned vehicles, using cellphones to conduct federal business while driving private vehicles, or using federally owned cellphones in any manner whether driving public or private vehicles. And more regulation about cell phones and driving may be on the way. A summit in Washington, DC, about distracted driving revealed widespread support for a nationwide ban on behind-the-wheel cellphone use. And that includes headset and hands-free phone use.
THE DETAILS: The Department of Transportation's two-day Distracted Driving Summit ended Thursday with Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announcing Obama's latest decree and vowing to "set a new course of action" on distracted driving, something many who attended called an epidemic and a public health risk. A large portion of day two was devoted to how to legislate against the problem, and how laws can work in conjunction with public education campaigns that raise awareness about how truly serious the issue is.
"Education by itself does not change behavior, but coupled with strong laws, it will lead to a change in behavior," said Janet Froetscher, president and chief executive officer of the National Safety Council, as long as those laws aren't too narrowly focused on cell phones and driving to the exclusion of other distractions. Eighteen states and the District of Columbia now ban texting while driving, but those laws preclude the larger problem of distractions caused by all electronic devices. "From a traffic-safety standpoint, we shouldn't limit the conversation to cellphones and texting. I’m in support of state laws to regulate all types of distracted driving," said Major David Salmon, director of the Traffic Services Division of the state police in New York, the first state to enact a ban on handheld cellphones. "Technology is merely an element of the broader issue of distracted driving."
Yet, cellphones and driving seems the easiest target, which may be why many of the researchers and scientists at the conference advocated completely banning cellphones while driving, with some going as far as to say that the use of all handheld electronic devices—smartphones, navigation systems, and mp3 players, for instance—should be banned. According to research presented by Froetscher, 57 percent of the public supports total cellphone bans while driving, and 40 percent of the public has said they would change their behavior if there were a law put in place.
WHAT IT MEANS: Banning the use of cellphones while driving is more than a way to collect fines or catch people in the act. It could ignite a dramatic change in our cultural perceptions, helping people to realize that that phone calls or text messages or emails can wait until we reach our final destinations. "We're going to change the culture so that people recognize that distracted driving is personally irresponsible and socially unacceptable behavior," said Secretary LaHood in his closing remarks. "Show some common decency to other drivers, passengers, and pedestrians out there." As one audience member noted in the question-and-answer period of the last session, "Distracted driving is selfish driving. It seems to [say] that my business is more important that your business. Really, it's an issue of good citizenship."
Cellphone bans may be a ways down the road, but here are some ideas for curbing the habit—and setting a good example for others:
• Turn it off—completely. Literally shutting your phone off as soon as you start the car prevents you from being distracted by rings or vibrating alerts, or grabbing the phone by reflex when there's a call.
• Let people know why you can't be reached. One idea presented yesterday was that drivers should leave an outgoing message on their voicemails along the lines of, "For safety reasons, I don't answer my phone while driving. Leave a message and I'll return your call as soon as I reach my destination." You'd be setting a good example and educating other people about the hazards. Or simply tell your boss or other relevant parties as you leave, "I'm going to be on the road for the next hour or so. If anything urgent comes up, I'll get back to you as soon as I'm no longer driving." No good employer is going to get irritated by your putting safety first.
• Allow others to be offline. By the same token, Secretary LaHood said, employers need to encourage respect for the rules of the road, too. "If you know your staff has left work for the day, don't expect them to instantly return a phone call or return a text message when they're driving home," he said. Similarly, don't call people if you know they're on the road (unless you also know they'll let you leave a message instead of picking up)
• Consider a carpool, or public transit. "Those of us who are type A personalities sit in our cars thinking about all those emails piling up on our Blackberries," said Representative Steve Farley from the Arizona state legislature. "It's a very powerful thing." The easiest solution? Take mass transit. "If you really need to text, talk, or tweet, take public transit and leave the driving to us," said Peter Rogoff, administrator of the Federal Transit Administration.