A Comparison of the Cell Phone Driver and the Drunk Driver, Article Review Example

1. What was the purpose of the study?

2. What did the researchers find?

3. How does this apply to what we have discussed in class?

4. Based on these results would hands free cell phone devices help reduce the problems associated with talking on the cell phone while driving? Why or Why not.

5. What is the dependent variable(s)? How did they measure the dependent variable(s)?

6. What is the independent variable(s)? How did they manipulate the independent variable(s)?

7. How should these findings be translated into policy/laws OR should they?

8. How do these findings fit in with the topics of basic attention and memory that we have discussed?

9. What are some limitations of the study?

10. What do you think could be done to improve the study?

Q1. The objective of this study was to examine the dangers associated with using cell phones whilst driving and being drunk. Research indicates that impaired drivers who use cell phones are more likely to become involved in traffic accidents.  The research was based upon comparative analysis of impaired drivers and those using cell phones simultaneously.

Q2. The research indicated that despite whether the cell phone was hand held or hands free the driving concentration was seriously impaired.  Further, evidence indicated slowness in braking actions on the car and an increase in aggressive tendencies. This resulted in far more traffic accidents than normal conditions.

Q3. This aligns to what was discussed in the class.  It is morally irresponsible to conduct this sort of behaviour because it not only endangers your own life but equally threatens the lives of other potentially innocent victims.

Q4. No! the research clearly indicates that hands free or hand held cell phones amount to the same problem for impaired drivers. It is the question of multi-tasking whilst driving and already having reduced senses ( owing to alcohol impairment) that prevent you from focusing and concentrating on the job at hand i.e. driving the vehicle safely.

Q5. The following performance dependant variables were analysed during the course of the research study:

• Driving speed;
• Following distance;
• Brake reaction time;
• Time to collision

These were measured in a driving simulator.  The braking and speed profiles were then graphed and this enabled the calculation of mean and standard errors.

Q6. The driving performance measures were entered as independent variables in order to assess the result differences between alcoholism and the use of the cell phone. This was entered into a discriminate function analysis. Hence the larger the coefficients the greater the contribution  to the variable discriminations between each of the groups.

Q7. These finding are an important input into police statistics and should form part of a wider study in this area. No single study can be considered conclusive in isolation. There is however sufficient evidence from this study to support further research activities in this area. There is also the need to examine this from a number of different perspectives i.e. criminal, legal, sociological, psychological, environmental etc.

Q8. Within the concepts of basic attention and memory we can consider these as cognitive functions and these can be impaired when consuming drugs or alcohol.  The link to driving is that it will impair the memory and ability to focus whilst engaged in driving a vehicle.

Q9. Limitations of the study may be : (i) It is a single study conducted in isolation and needs to be broadened (ii) It was conducted using a simulator but needs to be aligned with live statistics (iii) Probably limited to certain demographics and may not be truly representative of a national study .

Q10. The study needs to consider other factors like environmental conditions i.e. is this more of an urban problem than a rural one ? It needs to be conducted over a wider timeline and incorporate other considerations like sociological, psychological factors