Why do drivers who talk on cell phones have more accidents that those talking on CB radios?
I don’t see the difference at all, respectfully. In both cases, you are talking to someone who is not in the vehicle with you, and you never hear or read about CB chatters having accidents, due to being on those radios, right?
A cell phone is nothing more than a highly sophisticated 2-way radio. So why are cell phone users apparently prone to more “distraction-type” accidents, than those who are just engaging in “idle chit-chat” on another kind of 2-way radio, known as the “CB?”
Over-the-road professional truckers (the safest and best drivers on the road) don’t seem to have any problems with talking and driving simultaneously, so does it come down to, “the more you do it, the better you are able to do it?”
August 26, 2008, 8:33 AM EDT
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11 Answers
My suspicion would be that there are so many more cell phones in use, that that affects the numbers.
That makes sense.
But, I’m still thinking that “experienced usage” plays a factor. plus, more cell phone users are “city street” drivers, than highway drivers. Most CB users are highway drivers, only.
August 26, 2008, 9:04 AM EDT
I think statistics would say that there are more people with cell phones in general. Also from my experience big truck drives are typically good drivers. And CB’s are simple as well. Cell phones are complicated and we have a lot of Idout drivers. I mean if someone on the road is already a bad driver and they get a phone. A piece of technology that is more complex than a radio, they are doomed to annoy and possibly hit someone because they got a text from there mom.
Operating a CB radio requires a modicum of intelligence. And you can’t text on one.
Talking on a CB radio while you do your job (these people drive for a living) is going to yield much less wrecks then all the idiot drivers who chat away on their cell phones when they weren’t good drivers to start with. People are typically marginally more careful at their jobs.
There are probably other things that factor in as well. They don’t have to dial a number to call someone, and they don’t text whle driving. I see that IchtheosaurusRex has already mentioned this, but it bears repeating, because texting while driving is incredibly stupid.
What is the source for saying CB use causes fewer crashes than cell-phone use? The state of Minnesota groups the two together in their accident reporting.
If it was total numbers, it is probably because the penetration is so much less. Do you have data showing percentages?
In written accident reports I have seen (and I have seen hundreds), I have yet to see one that claims that the cause of the accident was, “driver chatting on CB radio,.”
But there are many reports that list an accident cause (according to Allstate Insurance) as “driver on cell phone while driving.”
August 26, 2008, 1:34 PM EDT
Some data points on CB use:
”True confession time: in my 11 years trucking, I have missed my exit or highway junction several times because I was yakking away. (Especially easy to do in the Northeast!) About two years ago, I was talking to another driver and blew past my fuel stop exit… ”
”“Driver talking on cell phone/CB” in the department’s annual compilation of crash statistics was cited in 2000 as a contributing factor in 110 damage-only crashes, 68 personal injury crashes, and two fatal crashes.”
I do think it has something to do with being more experianced, but i think the big thing is a cell has more features like buttons, txting, and you have to hold the phone up to your ear. As for a semi driver can watch the road and just simply talk.
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