May 25, 2007

Presence of Passengers Increases Accident Risk

Just having passengers in a car increases the risk of an accident requiring hospitalization about 60 percent.

Illustration of a Bohr atom model spinning around the words Science Quickly with various science and medicine related icons around the text

SUBSCRIBE TO Science Quickly

Join Our Community of Science Lovers!

On supporting science journalism

If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.

My grandmother was always a bit of a chatty Cathy, that is, until she was a passenger in a car. Then she’d fall silent. Her reason? Driving a car is difficult work and requires concentration. Or so my grandfather told her. Turns out he had a point. Drivers with passengers are 60 percent more likely to have a car accident that results in hospitalization. That’s according to research from the George Institute for International Health.

But as much as passengers distract drivers, nothing beats mobile phones for increasing the risk of crashing. The institute analyzed nearly 500 serious accidents and found that the use of a cell phone – even hands-free - increased the likelihood of accidents by four times. While researchers haven’t figured out exactly how car conversations impair driving, the effects contribute to the 40,000 automobile deaths in the US annually. That’s about the size of Fenway Park. So with new cars being souped up with tv's, internet access and more cupholders than you can imagine, there's a Disneyland of distraction inside. Hm, maybe it's time to unplug and focus our eyes and ears on the road ahead.

It’s Time to Stand Up for Science

If you enjoyed this article, I’d like to ask for your support. Scientific American has served as an advocate for science and industry for 180 years, and right now may be the most critical moment in that two-century history.

I’ve been a Scientific American subscriber since I was 12 years old, and it helped shape the way I look at the world. SciAm always educates and delights me, and inspires a sense of awe for our vast, beautiful universe. I hope it does that for you, too.

If you subscribe to Scientific American, you help ensure that our coverage is centered on meaningful research and discovery; that we have the resources to report on the decisions that threaten labs across the U.S.; and that we support both budding and working scientists at a time when the value of science itself too often goes unrecognized.

In return, you get essential news, captivating podcasts, brilliant infographics, can't-miss newsletters, must-watch videos, challenging games, and the science world's best writing and reporting. You can even gift someone a subscription.

There has never been a more important time for us to stand up and show why science matters. I hope you’ll support us in that mission.

Thank you,

David M. Ewalt, Editor in Chief, Scientific American