Chan H.Cell phone use and traffic crash risk: a culpability analysis.
Asbridge M, Brubacher JR · 2012
View Original AbstractCell phone use while driving increases your likelihood of causing a crash by 70%, demonstrating measurable cognitive impairment from RF exposure.
Plain English Summary
Researchers analyzed 1,248 car crashes in British Columbia to determine whether cell phone use increases driver responsibility for accidents. They found that drivers using cell phones were 70% more likely to be at fault for their crashes compared to drivers not using phones. This increased risk was particularly pronounced among middle-aged drivers and held true regardless of injury severity or other factors.
Why This Matters
This study provides crucial real-world evidence that cell phone use while driving significantly impairs cognitive function and decision-making. The 70% increase in crash culpability demonstrates that the radiofrequency radiation from cell phones affects brain performance in ways that translate to measurable safety risks. What makes this research particularly compelling is its large sample size and rigorous matching methodology, which controlled for factors like age, sex, and driving conditions. The findings align with laboratory studies showing that RF exposure can disrupt neural activity and attention processes. For drivers, this means that even hands-free phone conversations may compromise your ability to safely operate a vehicle, as the cognitive demands of phone use compete with the brain resources needed for driving.
Exposure Information
Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study.
Study Details
This article aims to determine whether cell phone use while driving increases motor vehicle crash culpability.
Drivers involved in crashes where police reported cell phone use (n = 312) and propensity matched dr...
A comparison of crashes with vs without cell phones revealed an odds ratio of 1.70 (95% confidence i...
Crash culpability was found to be significantly associated with cell phone use by drivers, increasing the odds of a culpable crash by 70% compared with drivers who did not use a cell phone. This increased risk was particularly high for middle-aged drivers.
Show BibTeX
@article{m_2012_chan_hcell_phone_use_1848,
author = {Asbridge M and Brubacher JR},
title = {Chan H.Cell phone use and traffic crash risk: a culpability analysis.},
year = {2012},
url = {https://academic.oup.com/ije/article/42/1/259/695621?login=true},
}