Insurance Institute calls bans on mobile devices useless

[The Straight Story]

Insurance Institute calls bans on mobile devices useless

Distracted Driving StatisticsStates throughout the U.S. are beginning to adopt strict rules concerning the use of mobile devices whilst driving, as recommended by the National Transportation Safety Board. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, however, claims that bans on mobile devices simply do not work. The Institute, which is financially backed by auto insurers, argues that the states that currently have laws banning mobile devices do not have lower crash rates than states without such laws.

The Institute’s claims are backed by studies done by the group regarding crash rates and how bans on mobile devices affect them. According to the Institute’s studies, bans on mobile devices have only reduces phone use while driving. Studies have linked texting to higher crash rates in some states, but the Institute’s reports show that crash rates actually rose when some states adopted bans on texting.

According to the Institute, emerging technologies coming from automakers are making driving while using mobile devices safer. The U.S. Department of Transportation has been working on ways to promote these technologies, hoping to see more vehicles equipped with hands-free communication systems. The agency is also working on developing advanced collision warning systems that will alert drivers to dangers in the environment. The danger, of course, is that drivers may end up relying too much on these systems, which would lower the average aptitude of drivers throughout the nation.

http://www.liveinsurancenews.com/insurance-institute-calls-bans-on-mobile-devices-useless/856998/

[Bogart]

1. But...but, don't they know that regulators must regulate everything?

A rational policy would permit authorities to access phone records of those involved in accidents and charge those who text while they drive accordingly.

[KT2000]

2. What idiots

I am sick to death of people veering over the centerline, people causing head-on accidents because they are more interested in their mobile devices. The accidents they create are head-on! The worst.

[MadHound]

3. Reminds me of the fights put up to implement seat belt laws, and other auto safety measures

Amazing how corporations are willing to sacrifice human lives for monetary gain.

[drm604]

4. This is auto insurers saying this.

Their financial interests lie in preventing accidents. It seems odd that they would defend drivers using cellphones.

[thelordofhell]

5. The only mobile device you should be concentrating on is the CAR!!

When I'm a passenger, the first thing I do when I get in the car is take away the driver's cell phone. If they don't give it up, I insist on driving.

[William769]

6. +1

[saras]

7. The laws have no effect if widely ignored, which is what other studies suggest happens.

Other studies also have indicated, repeatedly, that it's the divided attention that is the problem and not the use of the hands. People really can't multitask worth a shit, no matter how good they think they are at it.

If they want to make anything hands-free, it should be driving. Computers will be able to drive cars safely before people will be able to do so while doing something else.