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American Morning

Drivers, Distractions and Danger on American Roads

Aired May 10, 2001 - 11:17   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: If you spend any time at all behind the wheel, you've probably spotted other drivers who are talking on their cell phones or doing any number of other things that might be dangerous. In fact, there are a lot of distracted drivers on American highways these days. That is a problem that driving schools are now beginning to focusing on. Our Sean Callebs is at a driving school. He joins us now from downtown, somewhere in Atlanta -- Sean.

SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, to you again Leon. Think about all the time we spend in the car nowadays. The distractions can add up.

If you're out and trying to find way around neighborhood, it's very easy to pick up map and look around while you're driving, a big distraction there. That could be a potential safety problem.

Also, if you're driving around lunchtime, it's easy to get something to drink, something to eat. That occupies your attention span as well.

Also, these days so many people also can flip on the radio in the car whether be CD player or whatever. But without question, the item gaining the most notoriety now is this little thing right here, cell phone. About 115 million of these have been sold so far. Really, you can't drive anywhere without seeing somebody on a cell phone.

And National Highway Safety Commission says that cell phones do contribute to accidents. The question, just how many? They say perhaps 20 to 30 percent, about 1.6 million accidents every year.

We are at driving training school here in the Atlanta area, Taggart's. And we're joined by Barry Schrenk. He is the owner- operator of this. And clearly, the driving safety schools have changed the way they do business over the past couple of years.

Let's step out of the car and talk just a bit about this. Do you think -- you've had a chance to follow this very closely. Do you think the cell phone do contribute to accidents?

BARRY SCHRENK, PRESIDENT, TAGGART'S DRIVING SCHOOL: I don't think there's any question that cell phone usage is contributing to accidents. Of course, they are A good safety feature for people to carry in their car in case they break down or they have other emergencies. But they have to be very careful in the usage because it is contributing.

CALLEBS: And we have somebody going through the motions here at the driving school. And think about it, somebody just getting a license. About 75 percent of your business is new people out there learning sweaty. Their hands get sweaty. Their hearts have to race. Just learning that has to be difficult. What do you do to prepare them for all the things that they have to expect on the road, especially people with cell phones?

SCHRENK: Well, during the classroom portion especially, there are teenagers. We spend a lot of time talking about defensive driving. And included in that defensive driving is not using your cell phone while you're driving.

CALLEBS: So what can someone do? I mean, people are going to use it.

SCHRENK: Well, that's true. We would recommend that they have maybe a voice-activated system, a hands-free system. Or if they get telephone call, just wait until their voice mail gets the message and then pull over and return the call. That's the safe way of doing it.

CALLEBS: OK, Barry, thanks very much for joining us. And a little bit later on in the day we are going to come back to you once again. We're going to talk to another instructor, somebody here on the front lines.

And think about it. With all the municipalities, all the states, and now the federal government considering weighing in on whether cell phone use while you're driving should be outlawed, this is an item that is going to get more attention as the days, the weeks, and the months go by. Reporting live in Atlanta, I'm Sean Callebs. Leon, back to you.

HARRIS: All right, thanks, Sean.

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