Cellphone use and driving

Article By:

Klein, Raymond M. Department of Psychology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.

Last reviewed:2012

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1036/1097-8542.YB120227

The beginning of the twentieth century roughly marks the start of a number of technologically driven revolutions in transportation and communication that have transformed our environments and everyday lives. Henry Ford's application of mass production helped to make the automobile ubiquitous, and subsequent technological innovations such as power steering and the automatic transmission have reduced the physical and mental demands associated with controlling a motor vehicle. The liberation of Alexander Graham Bell's telephone from its so-called landline allowed for the creation of wireless telephonic devices, including those that can accompany us in our automobiles. This technological combination of wireless telephony and automotive transportation has several positive features. For example, cars can incorporate wireless communications while we are driving them, allowing for improved navigation and safety; a driver or any passengers can phone for emergency assistance following an accident, which greatly improves health outcomes in cases when someone has suffered an injury; and passengers can continue to be productive while being transported in a vehicle (to the extent that communicating via telephone enhances their productivity).

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