According to WHO statistics, Germany has about a third the rate of driving-related deaths per population that the US does, which means absolute risk is much less. Germany has about half the fatalities based on the relative number of vehicles, which may be more a measure of relative risk per vehicle. The two countries are about even based on fatalities per vehicle mile driven, and when this is combined with the other two measures, it seems Germans enjoy a lower risk of fatalities largely because they drive less (Germany is a much smaller country by size). Haven’t seen comparative data about cell phone use while driving, but I’d guess Germans are more attentive, and this could be a part of the pie chart, too.

As David notes, US safety has improved, but why shouldn’t it be better? I’ll bet most cell phone conversations could wait until the car is stopped. People consider it selfish and rude (or worse) when someone’s cell phone goes off in a movie theater or at a hospital talking with your doctor, so why should it not be considered the same way in a vehicle with enough energy to kill someone?

Some day while waiting at an intersection, look at how many drivers are yammering on their cell phones while making left turns. I’ve done this five times and the rates range from 10 to 25%. Hardly a scientific sample, but the large number of distracted, selfish drivers may be a logical and defensible reason to buy a bigger vehicle than you need (for passive safety). So … distracted driving has ecological consequences too.

What she fails to say: “…although highway fatalaties ARE going down and have CONTINUED on a downward spiral for years”.

People like her who want to ban all cell phone use in a car fail to realize that, by their own logic, they must by extension ban talking to passengers – and banning passengers in a car would probably be the only way to ensure that.

…which is another way of saying they are a zealot for a cause and can’t see the big picture.

MrEnergyCzar

“Driving is something you do, not something you do while you do other things.”