The Role of Mobile Phones in Real World Motor Vehicle Crashes

Early on, road epidemiological studies (Redelmeier & Tibshirani, 1997; McEvoy et al., 2005) indicated an increased risk of motor vehicle crashes, including injury crashes, associated with mobile phone use. However, these studies were unable to assess the relative risks pertaining to specific phone tasks (for example, conversing versus texting). Moreover, direct comparisons of risk between different types of driver distractions, while possible (McEvoy, Stevenson, Woodward, 2007), were difficult to undertake. Naturalistic driving studies using instrumented cars in every day driving have provided more details of the tasks that confer particular risk in relation to phone use and other driver distractions (Klauer et al., 2014; Olson et al., 2009; Klauer et al., 2006; Dingus et al., 2006). Interest generated in these studies has prompted current trials using similar methodologies elsewhere, for example, Australia (Regan et al., 2013). To date, phone tasks involving handling of the phone and/or multiple or prolonged eye glances away from the forward roadway (dialling, reaching for the phone and text messaging) have been shown to significantly increase the risk of crashes and near crashes.