The study’s results, published Tuesday by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, observed U.S. light vehicle drivers and truckers for more than 9.5 million kilometres through video cameras installed in their vehicles. The data is in the process of being peer reviewed before formal publication.
The study examined drivers' use of cellphones and other mobile devices while driving over 18 months. It found that among truck drivers, their risk of being involved in safety-critical event — or risk of collision — was 23.2 times greater when they were texting than when they were not distracted.
The study also found that right before a crash threat or near collision, truck drivers sending text messages had spent an average of 4.6 seconds looking at their devices. Assuming the driver is travelling at 90 km/h (or 55 m.p.h., a common U.S. speed limit), he or she would cover around the length of a football field in that time.
While the study did not measure texting among drivers of smaller vehicles and cars, the risk of a crash was elevated significantly for all drivers while dialling a cellphone. And truck drivers reaching for a cellphone were 6.7 times more likely to be involved in a crash than when otherwise not distracted.
The authors noted that among all drivers using cellphones, the risk of a crash or a near-crash was lower for drivers of small vehicles and cars compared to truckers.
Lab studies criticized
The study found that the risk of crash among drivers of small vehicles who talked or listened on cellphones increased 1.3 times. The risk among truckers however, did not increase at all.
In light of those findings, the authors dispute recent research that suggests talking and listening on cellphones is just as dangerous as vi...