Phones cause traffic congestion

Right: Drivers who use their phone when driving take longer to get from A to B

Drivers who talk on cell phones drive more slowly on the freeway, pass sluggish vehicles less frequently and take longer to complete their trips, according to new research that suggests drivers on cell phones cause traffic congestion.

“The average person’s commute is longer because of that person who is on the cell phone right in front of them,” says University of Utah psychology Professor Dave Strayer, leader of the research team. “That guy is slowing you down and making you late.”

Joel Cooper, a doctoral student in psychology, adds, “If you talk on the phone while you’re driving, it’s going to take you longer to get from point A to point B, and it’s going to slow down everybody else on the road.” Cooper will present the study during the Transportation Research Board’s annual meeting in Washington on 16 January.

The new study used a PatrolSim driving simulator. The researchers found that drivers conversing on a cell phone make fewer lane changes, had a lower overall mean speed and a notable increase in travel time in medium- and high-density driving conditions.

3 January 2008