Association between cellular-telephone calls and motor vehicle collisions.
Redelmeier DA, Tibshirani RJ · 1997
View Original AbstractCell phone use while driving quadruples crash risk, with hands-free devices offering no safety advantage over handheld phones.
Plain English Summary
Researchers analyzed phone records from 699 drivers who had been in car accidents to see if cell phone use increased crash risk. They found that drivers were four times more likely to crash while using their phone compared to when they weren't, with hands-free devices offering no safety advantage over handheld phones. The study suggests that the mental distraction of phone conversations, not just physical handling, creates the danger.
Why This Matters
This landmark 1997 study was among the first to scientifically demonstrate what many suspected: cell phones create serious safety risks while driving. What makes this research particularly compelling is that it measured actual phone usage through billing records rather than relying on driver self-reports, eliminating recall bias. The finding that hands-free devices offered no protection reveals that the primary hazard isn't physical manipulation of the phone, but cognitive distraction from the conversation itself. This research helped establish the foundation for distracted driving laws worldwide and demonstrates how wireless technology can create indirect health and safety risks beyond the biological effects of electromagnetic radiation. The study's methodology has been replicated numerous times, consistently showing similar results across different populations and time periods.
Exposure Information
Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study.
Study Details
Because of a belief that the use of cellular telephones while driving may cause collisions, several countries have restricted their use in motor vehicles, and others are considering such regulations. We used an epidemiologic method, the case–crossover design, to study whether using a cellular telephone while driving increases the risk of a motor vehicle collision.
We studied 699 drivers who had cellular telephones and who were involved in motor vehicle collisions...
A total of 26,798 cellular-telephone calls were made during the 14-month study period. The risk of a...
The use of cellular telephones in motor vehicles is associated with a quadrupling of the risk of a collision during the brief period of a call. Decisions about regulation of such telephones, however, need to take into account the benefits of the technology and the role of individual responsibility.
Show BibTeX
@article{da_1997_association_between_cellulartelephone_calls_2534,
author = {Redelmeier DA and Tibshirani RJ},
title = {Association between cellular-telephone calls and motor vehicle collisions.},
year = {1997},
doi = {10.1056/nejm199702133360701},
url = {https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/nejm199702133360701},
}