Mobile phone drivers

Sir,

According to a statistical analysis from researchers at The George Institute for International Health, drivers who talk on cell phones are four times more likely to have an accident that results in hospitalisation than non-talkers.

Four times. Knock wood.

The study also found that the presence of car passengers increases accident risk.

A driver with a single passenger in the car is nearly 60 per cent more likely to have an accident than a driver with no passengers

A driver with two or more passengers has twice the risk of an accident

As you might suspect, younger drivers are more easily distracted, and adding passengers and cell phone calls sharply increases their risk.

So, keep an eye out for your fellow driver/talkers. They might be negotiating a deal, getting some bad news, or sharing a good joke as they drift into oncoming lanes or cruise past a stop sign.

Penny Douglas, Limassol

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