Mobile phone use while driving-literary review

• Published in: Transportation research. Part F, Traffic psychology and behaviour Vol. 47; pp. 132 - 142
• Main Authors: Lipovac, Krsto, Đerić, Miroslav, Tešić, Milan, Andrić, Zoran, Marić, Bojan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier India Pvt Ltd 01.05.2017; Elsevier Science Ltd
• Subjects: Automobile driving; Cell phones; Cellular telephones; Conversation; Driver behavior; Driving; Mobile phone; Phases; Psychological factors; Risk factors; Risk perception; Traffic accidents; Traffic accidents & safety; Traffic safety; Driving; Mobile phone; Conversation; Phases; Performance
• ISSN: 1369-8478; 1873-5517
• DOI: 10.1016/j.trf.2017.04.015

•60 studies on mobile phone use while driving covered by the paper.•Four phases in the process of understanding the impacts of mobile phone while driving identified.•Contents of conversation is key factor in maintaining attention and driving performance.•Hands-free mobile phone does not provide greater safety than hand-held mobile phone.•Drivers who use a mobile phone are less likely to wear a safety belt. This paper analysis published results of the research into the connection between mobile phone use while driving and traffic safety. Ever since the introduction of the first mobile phones, the authors have been examining the risks associated with its use in traffic, namely: prevalence or frequency of mobile phone use while driving, characteristics of drivers who make more frequent use of mobile phones, the connection between mobile phone use while driving and a car crash risk, a link between mobile phone use while driving and perception of risk, effects on driving performance of using various modes of mobile phones while driving (“hands-free” or “hand-held”), psychological factors influencing driver's decision to use a mobile phone while driving, etc. It is important to point out that the results of some studies indicate that using a hands-free mobile phone while driving does not provide greater safety as compared to the use of hand-held mobile phones while driving. Generally speaking, younger male drivers tend to use mobile phones more often while driving than women and older males. This paper analyses the results of studies which were published in 60 papers from 1994 to 2013. The analysis of the papers selected for research confirms detrimental effects of mobile phone use while driving. Also, four phases in the process of understanding the issue of mobile phone use impacts while driving have been established or identified. The first phase gives the analysis of the prevalence or frequency of mobile phone use while driving. The second phase identifies the characteristics of drivers who tend to use mobile phones more frequently while driving. The third phase concerns research into impacts of using different modes of mobile phones while driving on driving performance (“hands-free” or “hand-held”). Finally, the fourth phase deals with research into risks of mobile phone use while driving (“hands-free” or “hand-held”). The importance of this paper is reflected in that it can help traffic safety policy makers, on the basis of better understanding of the issue of mobile phone use impact while driving, to develop effective strategies aimed at reducing the extent of mobile phone use while driving.