Cell phones outweigh drunk driving as cause of accidents

JILLIAN SMITH PERSPECTIVES EDITOR JKS724@CABRINI EDU

Ever since you were little, it has been drilled into your head that driving drunk was a big “no-no.” Did you ever think talking on your cell phone and driving could be worse?

Numerous studies have shown that this generation norm is becoming an increased problem.

In a recent study, done by two graduate students at the University of California, Berkley, found that “The most notable of the over 125 studies has concluded that cell phones produce a fourfold increase in relative crash risk—comparable to that produced by illicit levels of alcohol.”

“I really don’t believe it,” junior education major Jessica Sampson said. Most students interviewed on campus felt the same way as Sampson.

“I entirely disagree. If you’re a bad driver to begin with – which most people are – then you’re going to be a horrible driver [no matter what you do],” Nick Weiss, a senior business administration and human resources major said.

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Several studies have confirmed that it is just as dangerous to talk on a cell phone while driving as it is to drive drunk. The studies have also shown that this is becoming an increased problem.

In another study, detailed in the summer 2006 issue of The Journal “Human Factors,” researchers at the University of Utah found

CRS ambassadors raise awareness

DANIELLE FEOLE STAFF WRITER DF727@CABRINI EDU

The Catholic Relief Service Ambassadors, a new program on campus, is beginning its plans to increase awareness of world issues on campus.

The CRS Ambassadors have taken on the job of creating awareness campaigns of different world issues.

The issues they work on include Fair Trade, HIV and AIDS, food insecurity, hunger and homelessness and migration.

The student ambassadors are promoting joint efforts between the college and CRS. CRS is the official relief and development agency of the United States Catholic church.

Jessica Zawrotny, a junior psychology and special education major and CRS ambassador on fair trade, said, “We represent CRS.” Ambassadors plan events on campus to spread awareness.

They often have stands around campus promoting what they do and also hope to make more students aware of an organization that students probably do not know much about.

Elizabeth Briggs, a sophomore psychology and sociology double major and CRS ambassador on food insecurity issues, said, “CRS promotes global solidarity.”

Each ambassador represents a different issue and most world issues have more than one ambassador assigned to spreading awareness.

Cabrini and Villanova University have a partnership with CRS to help spread these issues even further.

The first CRS ambassador orientation took place on Monday, Oct. 1, from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in the Grace Hall boardroom. This was the first time ambassadors from Cabrini and Villanova were able to share their stories and plans as a team.

They discussed what programs they participated in and what worked and what did not work. They also talked about what their next steps will be, especially since it is Fair Trade month.

According to Patricia Sheehan, a senior English and communications major and CRS ambassador on Fair Trade, coffee is one of the fair trade products that they are trying to promote on campus.

Fair Trade means paying fair wages for people’s products. The profit of Fair Trade products goes directly to the farmer himself.

During Monday’s orientation, ambassadors were given the book, “Fair Trade,” by Jacqueline DeCarlo. This book will help ambassadors to im- that driving through traffic while on your cell phone increased the likelihood of an accident.

They also reported that it didn’t matter whether you used a hands-free device, like Bluetooth.

“Driving with a phone is fine during the day and in traffic,” George Walter, senior criminology major, said.

This study has also gained the attention of Hollywood.

Back in 2005, Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman, the hosts of the hit Discovery channel TV show, “MythBusters,” confirmed that it is just as dangerous to talk on a cell phone while driving as it is to drive drunk.

The two hosts arranged an obstacle course into four parts: accelerating to 30mph and then stopping at a stop sign, parallel parking, seeing how long it would take to do 15mph through the whole course, and while going 30mph, being told to switch left, right or center lane. Each part was graded by an instructor.

During a sober run of the course, both test drivers passed. However, during the cell phone run, Hyneman asked the drivers three questions in which they had to either think about the answer, repeat a sentence, figure out a verbal puzzle and list five things. Both driv- ers failed the obstacle course.

During the drunk driving run, both drivers got their blood alcohol level to just below the legal limit of 0.08.

The first driver failed the test, however not nearly as badly as with the cell phone test.

The second driver failed the parking test and “half failed” the time trial for not looking both ways.

Overall, the cell phone tests were failed by a much bigger margin, though Savage’s observation was that you can put down a cell phone, you can’t instantly get “undrunk.”

“More people talk on their cell phone than drive drunk,” Weiss said.

According to the University of Utah study, “While talking on the phone, the drivers lost track of vital visual information--such as whether a traffic light was red.”

“I definitely feel distracted, but not destructed,” Nicole Necci, junior elementary education major, said about talking on her cell phone while driving.

So the next time you’re in your car and about to make a phone call, stop and think of the danger you may be putting yourself in. Etienne Cicilia, sophomore undecided major, said it best. “Both are pretty irresponsible.” prove their understanding on the issue they are constantly using word of mouth to express.

Yadi Toledo, a senior English and communications major and CRS ambassador on Fair Trade, said, “We are educating to create awareness and our goal is for people to hopefully implement these issues in their own lives.”

There are many possible events that students can become involved in with each global issue.

Cabrini’s hunger and homelessness awareness week campaign is coming up.

Possible events will include a Thanksgiving food drive, Cabrini Island, a sleep out, an interactive hunger banquet and a letter-writing campaign.

The HIV and AIDS events that you can participate in will include: adopt a family, a movie night, advocacy and pizza night, a prayer vigil and a benefit concert.

Students interested in becoming part of the awareness of these global issues should contact the Wolfington Center.

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