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DO CELLULAR PHONES CAUSE AUTO ACCIDENTS?
Several countries have banned the use of cellular telephones while driving, under the assumption that they distract the driver and cause collisions. This Canadian study, involving 699 persons who had auto accidents and owned cellular phones, suggests that these assumptions may be correct.
Researchers used a "case-crossover" design that compared a subject's use of the cellular phone just before the accident and at other times during the previous week. Times were verified through examination of records from the telephone company and the police. Use of the cellular phone was associated with a roughly four-fold increase in the risk for a collision. The risk of an accident was similar with hand-held phones and those that leave the hands free.
Comment: The authors acknowledge various pitfalls that could bias the results of the case-crossover method. But their findings were consistent in several analyses designed to minimize those biases. Ultimately, policy makers will have to decide whether the potential risks of driving with cellular phones outweigh the benefits of this technology.
— AS Brett
Published in Journal Watch General Medicine February 21, 1997
Citation(s):
Redelmeier D; Tibshirani RJ. Association between cellular-telephone calls and motor vehicle collisions. N Engl J Med 1997 Feb 13 336 453-458.
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