TY - JOUR
T1 - The effects of perception of risk and importance of answering and initiating a cellular phone call while driving
AU - Nelson, Erik
AU - Atchley, Paul
AU - Little, Todd D.
PY - 2009/5
Y1 - 2009/5
N2 - Recent data suggest that laws banning cellular phone use while driving may not change use patterns, especially among young drivers with high rates of mobile phone adoption. We examined reasons younger drivers choose or do not choose to talk on a phone while driving among a sample of young drivers (n = 276) with very high ownership of cellular phones (over 99%) and a very high use of cellular phones while driving (100% for those that were primary operators of an automobile). Respondents were surveyed for patterns of use, types of call, perceived risk, and motivations for use. The data were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) to explore the relationships between perceived risk of the behavior, emotionality of the call, perceived importance of the call, and how often calls were initiated versus answered. The model suggests that even though people believe that talking on a cellular phone while driving is dangerous, they will tend to initiate a cellular conversation if they believe that the call is important.
AB - Recent data suggest that laws banning cellular phone use while driving may not change use patterns, especially among young drivers with high rates of mobile phone adoption. We examined reasons younger drivers choose or do not choose to talk on a phone while driving among a sample of young drivers (n = 276) with very high ownership of cellular phones (over 99%) and a very high use of cellular phones while driving (100% for those that were primary operators of an automobile). Respondents were surveyed for patterns of use, types of call, perceived risk, and motivations for use. The data were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) to explore the relationships between perceived risk of the behavior, emotionality of the call, perceived importance of the call, and how often calls were initiated versus answered. The model suggests that even though people believe that talking on a cellular phone while driving is dangerous, they will tend to initiate a cellular conversation if they believe that the call is important.
KW - Cellular phones
KW - Risk analysis
KW - Text messaging
KW - Younger drivers
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=64849107340&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.aap.2009.01.006
DO - 10.1016/j.aap.2009.01.006
M3 - Article
C2 - 19393790
AN - SCOPUS:64849107340
VL - 41
SP - 438
EP - 444
JO - Accident Analysis and Prevention
JF - Accident Analysis and Prevention
SN - 0001-4575
IS - 3
ER -