Despite Understanding Risks Many U.S. Adults Still Use Cell Phones While Driving, According to Latest Harris Poll
ROCHESTER, N.Y., June 6 -- Despite knowing that driving and talking on a cell phone at the same time is dangerous, and that it is safer to use a hands-free device to hold the cell phone, a large majority of drivers with cell phones still talk on the cell phone and drive at the same time. This is especially true with younger adults. Even in states that have laws requiring the use of a hands-free device, many adults are not using the hands- free device.
These are some of the results of a Harris Poll of 2,085 U.S. adults surveyed online by Harris Interactive(R) between May 9 and 16, 2006.
-- About three-quarters (73%) of adults who drive and have a cell phone
(78% of all adults drive and have a cell phone) say that they talk on
their cell phone while driving. Two-thirds (67%) say that they
sometimes talk on their cell and drive, while only six percent admit to
doing this all the time. Just over a quarter of adults (27%) say that
they never talk on their cell while driving.
-- This pattern holds pretty much across all regions of the country, with
higher numbers in the Midwest (76%) and South (77%). Only in those
states that have a law that requires use of a hands-free device (New
York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Washington DC) are the percentages
lower (61%).
-- Interestingly, younger adults are more likely than their older
counterparts to drive while talking on a cell phone. Almost nine in 10
(86%) Echo Boomers (those ages 18 to 29) say that they talk on their
cell phone while driving, as compared to about half (48%) of Matures
(those ages 61 and over).
-- For those who admit to talking on their cell phone while driving, a
large majority (72%) say that they hold the cell phone. Only 28 percent
say that they use a hands-free device that cradles the cell phone. Even
those in states that have a hands-free law, just 55 percent say that
they use the hands-free device, while the remaining 45 percent say that
they hold their phone.
-- Similarly, six in 10 adults (60%) say that have been a passenger in a
car while the driver is talking on a cell phone, with five percent
saying that this happens often, and another 55 percent who says it
happens sometimes. For those who are in states with a hands-free law
are the percentages smaller, however, almost half (48%) say that they
are often or sometimes a passenger in a car while the driver is talking
on a cell phone.
-- Among the entire adult population, about six in 10 (61%) think that
their state does not currently have a hands-free law, with 14 percent
saying that their state does have such a law. There is some
unfamiliarity with this, considering a quarter (25%) say that they are
not sure whether their state has a law.
Over half (56%) of adults say it is at least dangerous, with 31 percent saying it is very dangerous for someone to use a cell phone while driving. Another 26 percent say that using a cell phone while driving is somewhat dangerous, and only 18 percent say either slightly dangerous or not dangerous at all.
-- Those who are most likely to say this is a dangerous activity are those
who live in states with a hands free law (64%), Matures (69%), and
those who never talk on their cell phone while driving (85%).
-- Conversely, smaller percentages of adults who admit to taking on their
cell while driving (40%) and Echo Boomers (49%) say that this is
dangerous.
Though many acknowledge that driving and talking on a cell phone at the same time is dangerous, many still hold their phone, despite the feeling that using a hands-free cell phone is safer, with 13 percent saying it is much safer and 57 percent saying somewhat safer. Another 22 percent say that using a hands-free cell phone is just as safe as using a hand-held phone. Few (8%) say that a hands-free cell phone is more dangerous.
While a law exists in some states that require the use of a hands-free device, more adults appreciate the danger. Fewer adults talk on the cell-phone while driving and those that do use the hands-free device more often. However, there is still room for improvement, which may come about with improved public awareness campaigns (and perhaps laws) as to the risks of using a cell phone while driving.
TABLE 1A
FREQUENCY OF TALKING ON CELL PHONE WHILE DRIVING- BY REGION
"How often do you talk on a cell phone while you are driving?"
Base: Adults who drive and have a cell phone
Total Region
East Midwest South West States
w/Hands-
Free
Law
% % % % % %
Talk on Cell
Phone While
Driving (NET) 73 64 76 77 71 61
All the time 6 4 6 8 4 4
Sometimes 67 60 70 69 67 57
Never 27 36 24 23 29 39
TABLE 1B
FREQUENCY OF TALKING ON CELL PHONE WHILE DRIVING- BY AGE
"How often do you talk on a cell phone while you are driving?"
Base: Adults who drive and have a cell phone
Age
Echo Baby
Total Boomers Gen. X Boomers Matures
(ages 18-29) (ages 30-41) (ages 42-60) (ages 61+)
% % % % %
Talk on Cell
Phone While
Driving (NET) 73 86 79 76 48
All the time 6 9 10 3 2
Sometimes 67 77 68 73 45
Never 27 14 21 24 52
Note: States that have Hands-Free Law are NY, NJ, CT, DC (N=126)
TABLE 2
HOLD CELL PHONE OR USE HANDS-FREE DEVICE WHILE DRIVING "When you use the cell phone while you are driving, do you typically hold the
phone in your hand or do you use a hands-free device?"
Base: Adults who ever talk on a cell phone while driving
Total States w/ Hands-Free Law
% %
Hold phone 72 45
Hands-free device 28 55
TABLE 3
FREQUENCY OF BEING PASSENGER WHILE DRIVER IS TALKING ON CELL PHONE "How often are you a passenger in a car while the driver is talking on a cell
phone?"
Base: All adults
Total State w/ Hands- Free Law
% %
Often 5 4
Sometimes 55 44
Never 39 51
Not Sure 1 1
TABLE 4
LIVE IN CITY OR STATE THAT HAS LAW REQUIRING USE OF HANDS-FREE DEVICE
"Do you currently live in a city or state that has a law requiring that you
use a hands-free device while talking on a cell phone in your car or not?"
Base: All adults
Total
%
My state requires a hands-free device if I am
on my cell phone and driving 14
My state does not currently have such a law 61
Not sure 25
TABLE 5A
DANGEROUS TO USE CELL PHONE WHILE DRIVING
"How dangerous is it for a driver to use a cell phone while driving?"
Base: All adults
Talk on Cell
While Driving
Those
States Who All the
Total w/ Drive Time/
Hands- & Sometimes Never
Free Have
Law Cell
% % % % %
Dangerous (NET) 56 64 52 40 85
Very dangerous 31 36 28 17 57
Dangerous 25 28 24 22 29
Somewhat Dangerous 26 15 28 35 10
Not Dangerous (NET) 18 21 20 26 5
Slightly
dangerous 16 17 18 23 3
Not dangerous
at all 2 4 2 2 1
TABLE 5B
DANGEROUS TO USE CELL PHONE WHILE DRIVING- BY AGE
"How dangerous is it for a driver to use a cell phone while driving?"
Base: All adults
Age
Echo Baby
Total Boomers Gen. X Boomers Matures
(ages 18-29) (ages 30-41) (ages 42-60) (ages 61+)
% % % % %
Dangerous (NET) 56 49 52 55 69
Very
dangerous 31 22 27 33 41
Dangerous 25 27 25 22 29
Somewhat
Dangerous 26 27 25 29 22
Not Dangerous
(NET) 18 24 22 17 8
Slightly
dangerous 16 21 19 16 8
Not dangerous
at all 2 3 4 1 *
TABLE 6
ARE HANDS-FREE CELL PHONE SAFER OR MORE DANGEROUS?
"Is using a hands-free cell phone safer or more dangerous than using a hand-
held cell phone?"
Base: All adults
Talk on Cell
While Driving
Those
States Who All the
Total w/ Drive Time/
Hands- & Sometimes Never
Free Have
Law Cell
% % % % %
Safer (NET) 70 70 72 74 66
Much safer 13 17 13 15 7
Somewhat safer 57 53 59 59 59
Just as safe 22 21 22 22 22
More dangerous (NET) 8 8 6 4 12
Somewhat more
dangerous 6 6 5 3 10
Much more
dangerous 2 2 1 1 2
Methodology
This Harris Poll was conducted online within the United States between May 9 and 16, 2006 among 2,085 adults (aged 18 and over). Figures for age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, region and household income were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population. Propensity score weighting was also used to adjust for respondents' propensity to be online.
All surveys are subject to several sources of error. These include: sampling error (because only a sample of a population is interviewed); measurement error due to question wording and/or question order, deliberately or unintentionally inaccurate responses, nonresponse (including refusals), interviewer effects (when live interviewers are used) and weighting.
With one exception (sampling error) the magnitude of the errors that result cannot be estimated. There is, therefore, no way to calculate a finite "margin of error" for any survey and the use of these words should be avoided.
With pure probability samples, with 100 percent response rates, it is possible to calculate the probability that the sampling error (but not other sources of error) is not greater than some number. With a pure probability sample of 2,085 adults one could say with a 95 percent probability that the overall results have a sampling error of +/- 2 percentage points. However that does not take other sources of error into account. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no theoretical sampling error can be calculated.
These statements conform to the principles of disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.
J27799 Q600, 605, 610, 615, 620, 640 The Harris Poll(R) #46, June 6, 2006
By David Krane, Vice President, Public Affairs and Government Research, Harris Interactive(R)
About Harris Interactive(R)
Harris Interactive, the 13th largest and fastest-growing market research firm in the world, provides clients with research-driven insights and strategic advice to help them make more confident decisions, leading to measurable and enduring improvements in performance.
Widely known for The Harris Poll(R) and for pioneering online market research methods, Harris Interactive serves clients worldwide through its United States (www.harrisinteractive.com), Europe (www.harrisinteractive.com/europe), and Asia offices and is supported by its a wholly-owned subsidiary Novatris (www.novatris.com) in Paris and an independent global network of affiliate market research companies. Harris Interactive is headquartered in Rochester, New York, and Europe operations are based in London.
