GALLUP NEWS SERVICE
PRINCETON, NJ – Last month, New York became the first state to enact a law banning the use of hand-held cellular phones while driving. The bill, however, would allow for the use of "hands-free" phones. A recent Gallup poll conducted June 28-July 1 shows that an overwhelming majority of Americans support the idea of such cell phone laws. Seventy percent of those interviewed think that their state government should pass a law making it illegal to use hand-held cellular phones while driving, while only 24% think that they should not. Additionally, 62% say their state should pass a ban on all cell phone use while driving, while 32% believe that they should not. Americans who currently admit to using cell phones while driving, however, are less enthusiastic; just 49% support a total ban on cell phone use while driving.
New York enacted the law because of the state legislature's conviction that the practice of talking while driving poses a significant threat to public safety. The public agrees, as the majority of Americans (56%) say using a cell phone while driving is "very dangerous," and another 36% believe that it is "somewhat dangerous." The poll also asked cellular phone users if they ever felt their own driving was dangerous or unsafe due to their using a cellular phone while driving. Twelve percent of cell phone users agreed that their own personal use of a cell phone had made their driving unsafe.
The poll shows that the use of cell phones while driving is a fairly common practice in America today. A little more than half of Americans own a cell phone, and of this group four in 10 (39%) say they use a cell phone while driving either "every day" or "several times a week." Another 14% say they use them "about once a week." Approximately half of cell phone users (47%) say they use their phone while driving "less frequently" or "never." The use of cellular phones while driving is much more prevalent among younger Americans; 56% of 18- to 29-year-olds say they practice such behavior "every day" or "several times a week," compared to 41% of 30- to 49-year-olds and just 26% of those over age 50.
The convenience of staying in touch with people while traveling is seemingly the chief benefit of talking while driving. But, the majority of the American public (67%), and even half of cell phone users (52%) think a ban on cell phone use in their state would "not be an inconvenience to them at all." Looking just at those cell phone users who say they use their phones while driving at least once a week or more, however, shows a more negative reaction: Just 31% say the passage of a law banning cell phone use in cars would not be an inconvenience to them at all.
Other Driving Distractions
The laws regarding the use of cellular phones have brought to bare a larger topic: distracted drivers. The Gallup poll shows that Americans participate in a variety of activities while driving, many of which could dangerously distract them from the task of operating a motor vehicle. Very little is apparently off limits to some Americans while driving, even eating meals and reading.
Almost half of Americans admit to talking on the phone while driving, up sharply from the last time Gallup measured this in 1996 (reflecting the increased prevalence of cell phones). The same percentage (49%) admits to having shouted at or made gestures to other drivers while driving, although this percentage represents a substantial decline from the 1990s. Approximately a third of Americans say they have eaten a complete meal while driving (34%), read a road map while driving (33%), or slept overnight in their car (29%). Finally, 13% of Americans say they have either put on makeup or shaved with an electric razor while driving the car, and another 7% have even read a book, magazine, or newspaper while driving.
Survey Methods
The results below are based on telephone interviews with a randomly selected national sample of 1,014 adults, 18 years and older, conducted June 28-July 1 2001. For results based on this sample, one can say with 95 percent confidence that the maximum error attributable to sampling and other random effects is plus or minus 3 percentage points. In addition to sampling error, question wording and practical difficulties in conducting surveys can introduce error or bias into the findings of public opinion polls.
Thinking for a moment about driving,
Which of the following have you ever done? How about -- [RANDOM ORDER]?
|
|
|
|
No opinion |
|
% |
% |
% |
|
|
A. Slept overnight in your car |
29 |
71 |
* |
|
B. Shouted, cursed, or made gestures to other drivers whose
driving upset |
49 |
50 |
1 |
|
C. Talked on a cellular phone while driving |
49 |
50 |
1 |
|
D. Eaten a complete meal while driving |
34 |
65 |
1 |
|
E. Put on makeup or shaved with an electric razor while driving |
13 |
86 |
1 |
|
F. Read a road map while driving |
33 |
66 |
1 |
|
G. Read a book, magazine, or newspaper while driving |
7 |
92 |
1 |
|
*Less than 0.5% |
|
DRIVING HABITS TREND |
(Based on % "yes") |
||
|
Jun 28-Jul 1, |
Apr 25-28, |
Mar 28-30, |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
|
|
Talked on a cellular phone while driving ^ |
49 |
29 |
-- |
|
Shouted, cursed, or made gestures to other drivers whose driving upset you |
49 |
60 |
67 |
|
Eaten a complete meal while driving |
34 |
38 |
-- |
|
Read a road map while driving |
33 |
42 |
-- |
|
Slept overnight in your car |
29 |
38 |
36 |
|
Put on makeup or shaved with an electric razor while driving |
13 |
14 |
-- |
|
Read a book, magazine, or newspaper while driving |
7 |
14 |
-- |
|
^ 1996 WORDING: Talked on a car telephone while driving. |
|||
Do you currently own a cellular phone, or not?
|
Yes |
No |
No opinion |
|
|
2001 Jun 28-Jul 1 |
55 |
45 |
0 |
|
2000 Mar 30-Apr 2 |
50 |
50 |
* |
|
*Less than 0.5% |
And how often do you use a cellular phone while driving – every day, several times a week, about once a week, less frequently, or never?
BASED ON -- 577 -- CELLULAR PHONE USERS; ±4 PCT. PTS.
|
|
Several times a week |
About once a week |
|
|
|
|
|
2001 Jun 28-Jul 1 |
23 |
16 |
14 |
26 |
21 |
* |
|
2000 Mar 30-Apr 2 |
23 |
18 |
10 |
22 |
27 |
* |
|
*Less than 0.5% |
How dangerous is it when drivers use a cellular phone while driving -- very dangerous, somewhat dangerous, not too dangerous, or not dangerous at all?
|
|
|
|
Not dangerous |
|
|
|
2001 Jun 28-Jul 1 |
56% |
36 |
6 |
1 |
1 |
Do you think your state government should -- or should not -- pass a law making it illegal to use a cellular phone while driving?
BASED ON -- 494 -- NATIONAL ADULTS IN FORM A; ±5 PCT. PTS.
|
|
|
ALREADY ILLEGAL |
No |
|
|
2001 Jun 28-Jul 1 |
62 |
32 |
1 |
5 |
|
2000 Mar 30-Apr 2 |
67 |
31 |
0 |
2 |
|
(vol.)=Volunteered response |
||||
Do you think your state government should -- or should not -- pass a law making it illegal to use hand-held cellular phones while driving?
BASED ON -- 520 -- NATIONAL ADULTS IN FORM B; ±5 PCT. PTS.
|
|
|
ALREADY ILLEGAL |
No |
|
|
2001 Jun 28-Jul 1 |
70% |
24 |
1 |
5 |
|
(vol.)=Volunteered response |
||||
If your state banned cellular phone use while driving, would it be a major inconvenience for you, a minor inconvenience, or not an inconvenience at all?
|
|
|
Not an inconvenience |
|
|
|
2001 Jun 28-Jul 1 |
10% |
22 |
67 |
1 |
Have you, personally, been in a situation in which your own driving was dangerous or unsafe because you were using a cellular phone while driving, or not?
BASED ON -- 577 -- CELLULAR PHONE USERS; ±4 PCT. PTS.
|
Yes |
No |
No opinion |
|
|
2001 Jun 28-Jul 1 |
12% |
88 |
* |
|
*Less than 0.5% |
