# Cell Phone Use and PSAs Against Distracted Driving: What Seems Excessive to You? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 11, 2022, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-use-and-psas-against-distracted-driving-what-seems-excessive-to-you/969511 "2022-08-11T21:57:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![D\_Anconia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@D\_Anconia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Anconia)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2022, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-use-and-psas-against-distracted-driving-what-seems-excessive-to-you/969511/21 "2022-08-12T01:08:16Z")
People would plan their route in advance. If you were visiting someone’s house for the first time, you might be given directions such as “Take Main Street through town, turn right at the Sunoco station, left on Elm, 2nd house on the right.” We managed. Convenience doesn’t outweigh safety, IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2022, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-use-and-psas-against-distracted-driving-what-seems-excessive-to-you/969511/22 "2022-08-12T11:12:11Z")
I wish there was an option for people to include an “urgent” flag in their txt messages so that the ring tone would change to something more like those Amber alerts. A few times I’ve been driving someplace and somebody called or txted to tell me the meeting or appointment is called off, or they need my help because they’re hurt or stranded. When I get a tone while driving, I usually look for a spot to pull over or try to look at the message at a red light. Unfortunately most of my messages are family members sending “laughing” icons to group chats. Of course, there was that time years ago when the safety leader at our factory beeped me with a “911” code, indicating an emergency and making me guess that one of my machines had killed somebody, and all he wanted was for me to talk him through using some instrument so he didn’t have to look at the manual. So, anything is prone to abuse. Yes, we did get by before we had navigation apps. We got by before we had cars, too. And evidently we got by before we had horses and before the wheel. I think convenience and safety belong in some kind of balance. Safety is a very big deal, but if it’s an absolute 100% requirement, driving is out anyway. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21825_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2022, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-use-and-psas-against-distracted-driving-what-seems-excessive-to-you/969511/23 "2022-08-12T11:25:14Z")
> [@carnut](#): > > I have my phone bluetoothed to the car so I can take calls hands-free. Same for me. Plus if I get a call, the number is displayed on the dash, and unless it’s my husband or daughter, I use the steering wheel controls to disconnect. The car is old enough that I can’t receive texts on it, so that’s not an issue. My phone pretty much stays in my purse when I’m in the car. On the rare occasions when a text arrives while I’m driving, if I think I need to check it, I actually pull over or wait till I’m at a red light. > [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > more and more vehicles come with touchscreens that you have to look at or even fiddle with while driving These things scare me. My husband’s car is like that. In the olden days, you could change the radio by touch. Now, unless you pre-program your stations of choice, you have to play with the screen to find what you want. So wrong… so very unsafe. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2022, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-use-and-psas-against-distracted-driving-what-seems-excessive-to-you/969511/24 "2022-08-12T11:55:22Z")
I wondered if the UK law on this might be a useful guide: > # Using a phone, sat nav or other device when driving > > It’s illegal to hold and use a phone, sat nav, tablet, or any device that can send or receive data, while driving or riding a motorcycle. > > This means you must not use a device in your hand for any reason, whether online or offline. > > For example, you must not text, make calls, take photos or videos, or browse the web. > > The law still applies to you if you’re: > > - stopped at traffic lights > - queuing in traffic > - supervising a learner driver > - driving a car that turns off the engine when you stop moving > - holding and using a device that’s offline or in flight mode > > ## Exceptions > > You can use a device held in your hand if: > > - you need to call 999 or 112 in an emergency and it’s unsafe or impractical to stop > - you’re [safely parked](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/waiting-and-parking-238-to-252#239) > - you’re making a contactless payment in a vehicle that is not moving, for example at a drive-through restaurant > - you’re using the device to park your vehicle remotely > > ## Using devices hands-free > > You can use devices with hands-free access, as long as you do not hold them at any time during usage. Hands-free access means using, for example: > > - a Bluetooth headset > - voice command > - a dashboard holder or mat > - a windscreen mount > - a built-in sat nav > > The device must not block your view of the road and traffic ahead. > > ### Staying in full control of your vehicle > > You must [stay in full control of your vehicle](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/general-rules-techniques-and-advice-for-all-drivers-and-riders-103-to-158#rule149) at all times. The [police can stop you](https://www.gov.uk/stopped-by-police-while-driving-your-rights/minor-motoring-offences) if they think you’re not in control because you’re distracted and you can be prosecuted. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2022, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-use-and-psas-against-distracted-driving-what-seems-excessive-to-you/969511/25 "2022-08-12T12:05:53Z")
> [@NDP](#): > > Yet, it has me wondering how many people actually do this and whether the laws against distracted driving will eventually be broadened to require drivers to have their cell phones turned off and out of sight and/or out of reach while they’re on the road (much like for example, in most states a driver can’t have an open container of an alcoholic beverage in his motor vehicle). It’s possible for a driver to use a phone safely for things like phone calls and navigation. When I’m using my phone for nav, I get it all set up before departure: destination set, volume turned up, brightness maxed, phone nestled in dash cradle, power cord plugged in. I don’t mess with it while I’m actually driving. > [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > But how are you pressing no to the prompt about whether to download a text message? Doesn’t doing so require you to look away from the road? In my car, incoming phone calls appear on the car’s center display, and I can answer/ hang up with steering wheel controls, same as for advancing the sound system to the next song. Seeing who’s calling doesn’t take any more attention than seeing what song is playing on the sound system, or how much fuel is left in the tank. Placing a phone call is more tedious, and not something I do unless stopped. I don’t deal with reading/writing text messages while I drive. So having your phone on hand is useful, and yes, there’s even a pro-safety argument in that emergency phone calls can be made more quickly and easily than if the phone has been stashed in the glovebox or trunk. The same can’t be said for alcohol, so I think open-container laws aren’t a good parallel for proposed put-your-phone-out-of-reach laws. ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2022, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-use-and-psas-against-distracted-driving-what-seems-excessive-to-you/969511/26 "2022-08-12T14:58:14Z")
> [@carnut](#): > > I have my phone bluetoothed to the car so I can take calls hands-free. If I connect my phone to the car, I can take calls hands-free , have a text read to me and can reply hand-free , control my music hands-free and I’m pretty sure I can give voice commands to Waze. Now, I’m not going to have a long texting back-and-forth exchange, but I will answer if my husband texts asking when I will be home or something simple. But I noticed something in that PSA - “90% of Washington drivers avoid distractions while driving.” - I don’t buy it. Not unless they are defining “distracting” to only mean using a hand-held phone - I can maybe buy that 90% of drivers don’t use hand-held phones while driving but I don’t think you can get to 90% if you include eating, drinking, changing radio stations. I also clicked through to the actual law and it has a provision that I’ve seen in these laws before: using personal electronic devices is banned while driving and “uses” is defined as holding in one or both hands, but > “Personal electronic device” does not include two-way radio, citizens band radio, or amateur radio equipment. so apparently, I can hold the microphone for those sorts of radios in my hands while driving - but why would they be less distracting than a phone I was holding in my hand on speaker? ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2022, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-use-and-psas-against-distracted-driving-what-seems-excessive-to-you/969511/27 "2022-08-12T15:19:26Z")
> [@D\_Anconia](#): > > If you were visiting someone’s house for the first time, you might be given directions such as “Take Main Street through town, turn right at the Sunoco station, left on Elm, 2nd house on the right.” Do you write down these directions? If so, then you are reading a piece of paper when you should be driving. If not, what do you do when there are several turns on the route, more than you can easily remember? Do you think that taking your eyes off the road looking for the Sunoco station and trying to make out signs for cross streets to see when Elm is coming up is safer than being told, “Turn left at next intersection”? > [@D\_Anconia](#): > > Convenience doesn’t outweigh safety, IMHO. Can you explain what you think is unsafe about GPS navigation? ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2022, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-use-and-psas-against-distracted-driving-what-seems-excessive-to-you/969511/28 "2022-08-12T15:24:59Z")
> [@Napier](#): > > I wish there was an option for people to include an “urgent” flag in their txt messages so that the ring tone would change to something more like those Amber alerts. I don’t know how it works exactly, but I send out a lot of texts to clients, and sometimes get a reply along the lines of, “I am driving now and cannot receive texts. If this is an emergency please reply with ‘urgent’.” ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2022, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-use-and-psas-against-distracted-driving-what-seems-excessive-to-you/969511/29 "2022-08-12T15:28:59Z")
> [@doreen](#): > > I can maybe buy that 90% of drivers don’t use hand-held phones while driving but I don’t think you can get to 90% if you include eating, drinking, changing radio stations. Or having kids in the backseat. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2022, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-use-and-psas-against-distracted-driving-what-seems-excessive-to-you/969511/30 "2022-08-12T15:29:09Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > And you think fumbling around with a paper map is safer than giving verbal instructions to my phone to find a route, and having my phone announce which way to go and when the turns are coming up so I can signal early and get in the correct lane? Navigation apps are a huge safety benefit if used correctly. Very much agreed. Sure, if you’re going somewhere a few miles away, maybe you’d have easy to remember verbal instructions. If you’re going somewhere thirty miles away with two dozen turns along the way, you’re going to be fumbling with a map or the envelope you scribbled instructions on and hitting the brake to see if that was Elm Street or Olma Street you just passed. I’ve had jobs that involved driving to a lot of unfamiliar locations and it was constant fussing with a fold-out map or photocopied map or a six-country map book. A magic voice/screen showing you a moving map and giving verbal instructions is much safer. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Anconia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@D\_Anconia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Anconia)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2022, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-use-and-psas-against-distracted-driving-what-seems-excessive-to-you/969511/31 "2022-08-12T16:07:44Z")
Here’s just one example: If there’s some sort of delay ahead–heavy traffic, accident, police activity, etc. the app will sometimes suggest an alternate route. But you have to physically interact with the phone to accept/decline the new route. And don’t get me started on people who fuck around with Gas Buddy at 75 mph trying to save a few cents in an unfamiliar location. ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2022, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-use-and-psas-against-distracted-driving-what-seems-excessive-to-you/969511/32 "2022-08-12T16:22:55Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > The other driver tried to say I was distracted by my phone. No, it was off. I turned it on after the accident to report it. Reminds me of the time I was pulled over for speeding. While the cop was preparing to exit his car and approach I undid my seatbelt to get my wallet out of my front pocket (for license). He gave me a ticket for driving w/o a seatbelt. I told him, “You’re right. My seatbelt is off now, but it was on while I was driving.” It fazed him not so I went to court to fight it. The cop didnt show up so I was cleared on that AND the speeding charge (which I was guilty of.) ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2022, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-use-and-psas-against-distracted-driving-what-seems-excessive-to-you/969511/33 "2022-08-12T17:21:18Z")
> [@D\_Anconia](#): > > If there’s some sort of delay ahead–heavy traffic, accident, police activity, etc. the app will sometimes suggest an alternate route. But you have to physically interact with the phone to accept/decline the new route. Yes, you have to physically interact with the phone, providing a single press of a button to accept/decline the proposed detour. This requires all of 2 seconds, a very brief distraction of your attention that is no more hazardous than pressing a button to select the next music track, change the HVAC temp, or open the sunroof (though a prudent driver will take stock of their situation in deciding when/whether to direct their attention to anything other than the road). Pressing a single button on your phone or dashboard is not at all in the same category of risk as trying to read/write a text message, dial a phone call, or enter a nav destination. > [@D\_Anconia](#): > > And don’t get me started on people who fuck around with Gas Buddy at 75 mph trying to save a few cents in an unfamiliar location. Agreed. Often when highway driving, I’ll come up behind someone and observe that they’re not reliably staying in their lane. When I get up next to them, I don’t bother looking over, but if my wife is riding shotgun, she’ll look over - and most of the time she reports back that the idiot has their cell phone in one hand, and is repeatedly looking down at it. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2022, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-use-and-psas-against-distracted-driving-what-seems-excessive-to-you/969511/34 "2022-08-12T17:32:10Z")
> [@D\_Anconia](#): > > If there’s some sort of delay ahead–heavy traffic, accident, police activity, etc. the app will sometimes suggest an alternate route. But you have to physically interact with the phone to accept/decline the new route. That seems an extremely niche issue, and even in the case when it is relevant, you often don’t need to physically interact with it, you can often use voice commands. The one time that I had that come up, my phone actually rerouted me without me having to do _anything_ at all. If you turn down a street that was not the primary planned route, it will automatically update your route for you, without any interaction necessary. If you _do_ need to interact physically with it, it is just hitting the “accept” button. But, since you bring it up, many accidents are caused by drivers coming around a bend or over a hill and plowing into stopped traffic. Knowing that stopped or heavy traffic is ahead will give a driver a chance to slow down and be more aware of the situation, or take an alternate route. I don’t see how being aware of traffic ahead is unsafe. In any case, it seems far safer than having to pull out a map to find an alternate route. It really is a pretty terrible example for making the case that GPS navigation is unsafe, quite the opposite, in fact. > [@D\_Anconia](#): > > And don’t get me started on people who fuck around with Gas Buddy at 75 mph trying to save a few cents in an unfamiliar location. That’s not GPS navigation, that’s Gas Buddy. People probably shouldn’t be clipping coupons while driving either, but I’ve seen that. This is not an example of something unsafe about GPS navigation, this is just an unrelated annoyance (albeit a valid one) that you have for some reason chosen to share. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2022, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-use-and-psas-against-distracted-driving-what-seems-excessive-to-you/969511/35 "2022-08-12T17:36:08Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > When I get up next to them, I don’t bother looking over, but if my wife is riding shotgun, she’ll look over - and most of the time she reports back that the idiot has their cell phone in one hand, and is repeatedly looking down at it. Many times when I have seen someone blow through a red light in front of me, I see their phone up on their steering wheel, both hands engaged. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Anconia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@D\_Anconia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Anconia)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2022, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-use-and-psas-against-distracted-driving-what-seems-excessive-to-you/969511/36 "2022-08-12T17:39:37Z")
> [@k9bfriender](#): > > If you _do_ need to interact physically with it, it is just hitting the “accept” button. Which makes it no longer “hands-free”, and a distraction. This signs I saw whilst driving this summer said “Eyes Up, Phones Down”. > [@](#): > > This is not an example of something unsafe about GPS navigation, this is just an unrelated annoyance that you have for some reason chosen to share. This is the forum for sharing opinions. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2022, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-use-and-psas-against-distracted-driving-what-seems-excessive-to-you/969511/37 "2022-08-12T17:42:59Z")
I remember there being talk about how even talking on the phone hands free is a problem. You’re actively engaging with someone who doesn’t know what’s going on, which makes it worse than talking to people in the car (who can see what’s going on) or listening to radio (where you don’t have to be active). I would expect hands-free text messages to be better, as you don’t have to actually listen to the text message right then, and can choose to listen and respond only when things are clear. And the text message format would keep the actual messages short. That seems the better way to communicate. Completely turning off the phone seems dumb for all the reasons others have said. ---
**Author:** ![CaveMike](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cavemike/32/16379_2.png) [@CaveMike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaveMike)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2022, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-use-and-psas-against-distracted-driving-what-seems-excessive-to-you/969511/38 "2022-08-12T17:48:38Z")
> [@D\_Anconia](#): > > If there’s some sort of delay ahead–heavy traffic, accident, police activity, etc. the app will sometimes suggest an alternate route. But you have to physically interact with the phone to accept/decline the new route. I’m sure this is app-specific, but Google Maps does not require any interaction by default. You only need to press a button if you want to reject the suggestion. I think Android Auto is the same although Apple Maps might be different. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2022, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-use-and-psas-against-distracted-driving-what-seems-excessive-to-you/969511/39 "2022-08-12T17:53:02Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > I remember there being talk about how even talking on the phone hands free is a problem. You’re actively engaging with someone who doesn’t know what’s going on, which makes it worse than talking to people in the car (who can see what’s going on) or listening to radio (where you don’t have to be active). It does depend on what you are talking about. If it’s something that you have to actually think about, like if your boss calls you and is giving you information you need to remember, or if you need directions to get somewhere, then your concentration is not on driving. > [@BigT](#): > > I would expect hands-free text messages to be better, as you don’t have to actually listen to the text message right then, and can choose to listen and respond only when things are clear. And the text message format would keep the actual messages short. That seems the better way to communicate. The whole reason that I prefer text messages over calls is that you _don’t_ have to read and respond to them right now. That people choose to read and respond to them while driving is baffling to me, TBH. > [@BigT](#): > > Completely turning off the phone seems dumb for all the reasons others have said. Well, the one reason to turn off your phone is so that _they_ can’t track you. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2022, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-use-and-psas-against-distracted-driving-what-seems-excessive-to-you/969511/40 "2022-08-12T18:12:16Z")
> [@D\_Anconia](#): > > Which makes it no longer “hands-free”, and a distraction. Are you not able to appreciate any distinction at all between a single button press of a button, and the ongoing distraction of trying to read or write a text message, or trying to dial a 10-digit phone number? How do you feel about selecting “next track” on the sound system, or one more degree of cooling from the HVAC system? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-use-and-psas-against-distracted-driving-what-seems-excessive-to-you/969511.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-use-and-psas-against-distracted-driving-what-seems-excessive-to-you/969511.md?page=3)