To address the safety concerns associated with the use of a cell phone while driving, New York became the first state in the nation to prohibit the use of hand-held cellular phones while driving, effective November 1,2001. In recent years, the increased use of cell phones and their use while driving have brought increased attention to the broader issue of distracted driving. Despite the increased attention, information is limited with regard to the specific sources of distracted driving that most frequently contribute to traffic crashes or how widespread these distracting activities or behaviors may be within the driving population.

To provide more information on these subjects, the Institute for Traffic Safety Management and Research conducted a statewide telephone survey of New York State licensed drivers in fall 2001 to collect information on cell phone use and attitudes related to the new law prior to its implementation and to identify the most frequent sources of distracted driving. The primary objective of the survey was to provide information to the state's traffic safety community for their use in the development of public policy, appropriate and effective messages to raise public awareness of the dangers of distracted driving, and other countermeasures. The survey will be repeated in fall 2002 to examine changes in distracted driving over time, and in particular, changes in awareness, attitudes, and reported use of cell phones between the pre-law and post-law time periods.

SURVEY METHODOLOGY

The telephone survey was designed to provide representative measurements of drivers' attitudes, behaviors, and experiences related to the use of cellular telephones while driving, drivers' knowledge of the New York State law banning hand-held cell phone use while driving, and to provide information about other distractions while driving. The survey questionnaire was developed by the Institute for Traffic Safety Management and Research (ITSMR), in consultation with Governor George E. Pataki's Traffic Safety Committee. FactFinders, Inc. assisted in the pilot test and refinement of the final questionnaire and conducted all of the telephone interviews for the study.

Using a scientific random probability design based on random-digit dialing, the sample comprised 805 respondents with valid New York State driver's licenses. The sample was stratified to reflect the proportion of licensed drivers residing in each of the state's 62 counties. The data analysis was conducted by ITSMR with the use of SAS® software The statistical sampling error ranges from +2.1 - +3.5 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. The Chi square test at a level of significance of 0.05 was used to examine differences in responses by driver demographic characteristics and other variables of interest.

SURVEY RESULTS

Cell Phones and Driving

The primary objectives of the survey questions on cell phones and driving were: 1) to collect information on the use of cell phones while driving, 2) to assess drivers' perceptions of safety problems associated with using cell phones while driving, and 3) to determine the extent to which drivers were familiar with the cell phone law prior to its implementation. The key findings of the survey with regard to these objectives are summarized below.

Cell Phone Use While Driving

	Almost one-half (46%) of the survey respondents said that they have a cell phone with them always or most of the time while driving. Of the drivers who said that they have a cell phone in their vehicle at least some of the time:
		12% use the phone very often, 20% use it sometimes, and 34% use the phone once in a while
		28% always or most of the time pull off to the side of the road to use the cell phone
	Of the drivers who reported using a cell phone while driving, one-half said that they have a hands-free feature or adapter for their phone. Almost two-thirds (64%) of the respondents who have a hands-free feature or adapter said that they always/most of the time use it.
	The most commonly cited reasons given by the survey respondents for using a cell phone while driving were family matters (34%), business (25%), and to report emergencies (23%).
	Significantly greater proportions of drivers on Long Island and in New York City than in the Upstate region had cell phones with them in their vehicles (66%, 61 %, and 51 %, respectively, and owned hands-free features or adapters for the phones (61%, 58%, and 40%, respectively).
	Men were more likely than women to use a cell phone very often or sometimes while driving (39% vs. 26%) and to have a hands-free adapter for their phone (55% vs. 45%).
	Drivers in the younger age groups (16-34 and 35-44 years) were much more likely than older drivers to have cell phones in their vehicle, use them frequently while driving, and to have hands-free adapters.
	Hispanic drivers were more likely to have a hands-free adapter for their phones (69%) than were African-American drivers (63%) or White drivers (45%).
	Of the every day drivers, 35% said that they use their cell phone very often or sometimes while driving.
	Drivers of mini-vans, SUVs, and pick-up trucks were more likely than drivers of passenger cars to have cell phones in their vehicles (67% vs. 52%).

Perception of Safety Problems Associated with Using Cell Phones While Driving

	The majority of drivers (58%) thought that dialing the phone was the part of cell phone usage most likely to distract a driver or take his attention away from driving, followed by holding a conversation (22%).
	Four of five drivers who have a cell phone in their vehicle believe that dialing is the most distracting part of cell phone use, compared to one of two drivers who never have a phone in their vehicle.
	Almost two-thirds (64%) of all drivers surveyed said that, in their opinion, using a cell phone while driving affects a driver's ability to drive safely a great deal; an additional 31 % said it affects safety somewhat.
	Drivers in the younger age groups (16-34 and 35-44) were much less likely (58%) to perceive that cell phones affect driving safely a great deal than were drivers 55 years and older (75%).
	Hispanic drivers (82%) were much more likely to believe that cell phones affect the ability to drive safely by a great deal than White (64%) or African-American (58%) drivers.
	Drivers who never have a phone in their vehicle were much more likely than drivers who always/most of the time/sometimes have a phone in their vehicle to believe that cell phone use affects the ability to drive safely a great deal (75% vs. 58%).

Familiarity with New York's Cell Phone Law

	Nine of ten survey respondents said that they had seen, read, or heard about New York's new law banning the use of hand-held cell phones while driving.
	Drivers 16-34 years old were somewhat less likely than older drivers to be familiar with the new law prohibiting hands-free cell phone use while driving.

Other Driver Distractions

Because using a cell phone while driving is only one form of distracted driving, the survey included two questions to identify other frequent sources of distracted driving. Key findings include:

	25% of the respondents said that they very often change the radio, CD, or tapes; 18% very often adjust the heat or air conditioning, 12% very often eat or drink while driving, 9% daydream, and 5% deal with a child's need or problem.
	55% said cell phone use was the most unsafe distracting behavior; an additional 15% identified it as the second most distracting behavior.

Crashes Associated with Distracted Driving

Since limited information is available in the literature with regard to the specific sources of distracted driving that most frequently contribute to traffic crashes, the survey contained three questions designed to collect information on the extent to which drivers had ever had or almost had an accident due to their own distracted driving and/or due to another driver using a cell phone. Key findings include:

Distracted Driving and Involvement in a Crash

	12% of the respondents said they had an accident because they were distracted or their attention was taken away from driving. Of those who had been distracted and crashed:
		49% indicated they had been daydreaming or not paying attention
		13% named other passengers arguing or talking as the cause of the distraction
		9% noted other drivers' unsafe driving
	Men were more likely than women to report that they had been in an accident due to their own distracted driving (15% vs. 9%).
	Drivers 35-44 years old were most likely to report that they had an accident due to their own distracted driving (51 %), while drivers 55 years and older were least likely to have had such an accident (38%).

Distracted Driving and Almost Involved in a Crash

	43% of the respondents said that they almost had an accident because they were distracted. Of those who had almost had a crash as a result of being distracted:
		40% noted daydreaming or not paying attention as the distraction
		16% cited dealing with a child's need or problem
		15% noted other passengers
		6% reported cell phone use
	Similar proportion of Upstate drivers (47%) and those on Long Island (47%) said they had almost had an accident because they were distracted, compared to 35 percent of drivers from New York City.
	Male drivers (52%), and White drivers (48%) were most likely to have almost had an accident due to their own distracted driving.

Crash Involvement Due to Another Driver Using a Cell Phone

	27% of the respondents said that they had or almost had an accident because another driver was using a cell phone.
	Drivers 16-24 years old were more than twice as likely to have had or almost had an accident due to another driver using a cell phone than drivers 55 years and older (38% and 15%, respectively).
	Hispanic drivers were most likely (46%) to have had or almost had an accident due to another driver using a cell phone, followed by African-American drivers (35%), and White drivers (24%).