Driven to distraction (October 01, 2002)
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – It’s not just drinking coffee, tuning the radio and reading a map anymore. Today’s drivers are distracted by cellphones, personal digital assistants and laptop computers.
The blurring line between the office and the driver’s seat is raising fears among authorities, especially in light of a new report issued in California.
Already, cellphones, in-car electronics and radio-CD systems represent the leading cause of inattention in crashes that killed 6,516 Californians and injured 413,913 others last year. U.S. officials believe up to 30 per cent of crashes are caused by driver distractions that include mobile communications devices. A March report by the National Conference of State Legislatures suggests device-related distractions that killed an estimated 600-1,000 motorists in 2001 could kill 2,000 a year by 2004.
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