Cell Phone Resting Locations

The use of cellular phones while driving has been a growing topic of concern in the field of transportation safety research. Traditionally, a vehicle may have been equipped with multiple fixed displays that provided the driver various information, such as vehicle-related information and entertainment options (for example, AM-FM radio). The introduction of a mobile display has brought dramatic changes to the driving environment and has created a need for researchers to understand the full impact these devices have on the driving task. Many studies have been conducted to quantify the impact cell phones have on drivers’ crash risks. However, little or no research has been performed that examines the physical placement of the cell phone while the driver is engaged in the primary task of operating the vehicle. For determination of the most frequent cell phone resting locations and containers, a visual evaluation was performed during this study of the video collected during the 100-Car Naturalistic Driving Study between January 2003 and July 2004. In the video, drivers used a cell phone at any point during a trip. Knowing the placement of cell phones can aid researchers in designing experiments focused on in-vehicle cell phone use and can improve the design and technology of handheld devices and vehicles that attempt to integrate cell phone use safely.