Early this week The New York Times broke the latest news regarding driving with various electronic gadgets, and that news has since been repeated throughout various electronic media. If you have missed the reports, go to the Times’ website and search for the article “Dismissing the Risks of a Deadly Habit.” Bottom line: Driving while talking on a phone or texting on a BlackBerry can be deadly. The article points to research that confirms “multitasking drivers are four times as likely to crash as people who are focused on driving.” 

 

Don’t think for a moment that using a hands-free device eliminates the risks associated with distracted driving. Talking and listening, in and of itself, may not interfere with driving. Add a car that suddenly swerves or a pedestrian who jumps into the middle of traffic and, according to researchers quoted by the Times, the mind simply does not have time to process the information and safely react.

 

What’s critically important to note is that this research collected by the National Highway Safety Administration has been withheld from the American public. Why?  Apparently the federal agency is afraid the studies and any recommendations that would naturally flow from them might anger members of Congress.

 

By the way, the article also explains why so many of us have a hard time turning off these electronic devices.  It turns out the ring, vibration or blinking light that signals a new message has arrived actually causes a chemical release in the brain. Looks like all those jokes that refer to BlackBerrys as “CrackBerrys” may have more truth behind them than ever imagined.