Talking drivers melt icecaps
According to a new study on talking and driving, drivers who use their cell phones while on the road -- even hands free -- drive slower and add to the commute times of everyone else. As we know, idling cars emit the dirtiest pollution and the higher the concentration of idling cars, the more toxic the air. It's estimated that about 1 in 10 drivers use their cell phone in traffic, so you can imagine how this affects traffic flow. The study will be presented to the Transportation Research Board later this month. Conducted by the University of Utah, the study found that blabbering drivers drove an average of 2mph slower than drivers not on the phone -- and yet still 4mph faster than a guy trying to wolf down a hamburger. Researchers have projected that if you commute 1 hour a day, cell phone users increase your commute by 20 hours a year.
Really, we all know that the most dangerous drivers in the world are those who are drinking hot coffee in traffic -- no word on how that affects the environment.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
1-04-2008 @ 8:06AM
Robbie said...
It might make the commute time longer, but does it add to pollution? The faster a vehicle drives the more wind resistance it has to overcome. Because of this, it is well-known that the faster you drive, the more fuel you have to use to drive the same distance. Therefore, purely on the speed side of things, talking probably saves icecaps.
However some of the other side-effects of talking while you drive have a far worse environmental impact. The crashes it causes mean more repair are needed or even whole cars that need to be scrapped. That's quite a big waste of energy and resources and that ofcourse does contribute to the melting of icecaps.
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