Document text
0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Compromise spares Clay Street cottonwood ... Ashland $97K from turf goal ... Police reports, March 22 ... Compromise spares Clay Street cottonwood ... Ashland $97K from turf goal ... Police reports, March 22 ... OUR VIEW Our View: Hang up and drive Comment DailyTidings.com Writer Posted Mar. 17, 2016 at 12:01 AM Posted Mar. 17, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Social News We've all seen them: the drivers cruising through town with cellphones held to their ears or, more ominously, in front of them while they text. But how many of us are among them? According to new research by four Southern Oregon University MBA students, more than you might think. A survey of 1,560 Oregonians by the students found half of all drivers answer calls while behind the wheel. When cellphone use began to explode, hard data about distracted driving was hard to come by. Experts weren't sure how much cellphone use impaired driving, and states were slow to crack down with legislation. Now, an appeals court has ruled police may not stop a driver just for looking at a cellphone. That doesn't mean using a phone while driving isn't dangerous, but it makes it harder to address the problem. Fatal crashes in Oregon soared 33 percent in the year ending last September, and 60 percent of those involved distracted driving. That's all distractions, not just phones. Other research has shown that people think they can multi-task much better than they really can. The trick is convincing them to stop doing it while driving. ODOT is developing a public awareness campaign based on the SOU research. The survey found only a quarter of respondents thought education would help, but it also found many said they used their phones only while driving alone — which may indicate they know it's dangerous. You know who you are. Hang up and drive. DailyTidings.com Writer Posted Mar. 17, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with DailyTidings.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Alerts Email alerts RSS feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. DailyTidings.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501