e to report hazards such as congestion, crashes, or reckless driving. A more recent focus for the NHTSA consisted of investigation into the possible hazards of cell phone use during motor vehicle operation, with an effort to provide knowledge to the public, wireless industry, and states. Specifically the 1997 report included information regarding the following: effects of cell phone use while driving on increased risk of crash, prevalence of this possibility, and options for enhanced safety during cellular phone use (NHTSA 4-6).
The cellular phone industry demonstrates emphasis on safety throughout the growth of the product. Manufacturers have efforted to educate users on how to use the cell phone safely. The industry has continually strived for improvement in the ease of cell phone use, with installed car phones, memory-dials, and voice activation features (NHTSA 7-8).
A 1998 report by Sundeen, Policy Associate, National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), Environment, Energy and Transportation, provides an overview of cellular telephones in motor vehicles. This report further states that approximately 345,000 people owned a cellular phone in 1985, and it is estimated that 54 million people in the United States now own wireless phones. The growth rate of 40 percent is expected to continue. It is concluded that 85 percent of these owners use their cellular phones while driving. With this increase in use has come an increase in concern for potential dangers and traffic safety. Policy makers now weigh the evidence of cell phone dangers against their benefit. As of March 1998, Congress
still had not enacted a statute or mandate that governs the issue of wireless phones in vehicles (1-2).
Past research regarding the history of cellular phones, consistently demonstrates the fast growth of its popularity, and resulting increase in concern for its safe use in motor vehicles. The NHTSA report substantiates e...