Why drivers use cell phones and support legislation to restrict this practice : research brief.

Strayer, David L. · 2017 ·

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Summary

This research brief addresses the paradoxical behavior of drivers who frequently use cell phones while driving yet strongly support legislation restricting such practices. The study aims to explain the inconsistency between individual actions and collective advocacy for safety regulations. To investigate this phenomenon, researchers conducted a survey assessing the motivations behind cell phone use while driving and the attitudes contributing to support for restrictive legislation. Participants were asked to evaluate the risks and benefits of their own cell phone use compared to the use by others. They also assessed their own driving abilities while distracted versus their perception of other drivers’ abilities. Additionally, participants completed the Operation Span task, a standardized measure of multitasking ability, and indicated their level of support for legislation banning cell phone use while driving. The findings reveal that drivers primarily use cell phones for practical benefits, such as completing work tasks. The apparent hypocrisy of using devices while advocating for bans stems from a significant disparity in perceived safety risks. Most drivers believe they possess the ability to drive safely while using mobile devices, whereas they lack confidence in other drivers’ ability to do so. Consequently, drivers perceive their own usage as manageable but view others’ usage as dangerous. The study identified that the perceived threat to public safety posed by others’ cell phone usage was one of the strongest independent predictors of support for restrictive legislation. The significance of this research lies in its explanation of the psychological mechanisms driving public support for traffic safety laws. The results suggest that general support for legislation is not necessarily rooted in a desire for personal behavioral change, but rather in a desire to mitigate the risks posed by other drivers. The authors conclude that most people are willing to comply with restrictions if the perceived threat to public safety from others’ usage is diminished. This insight provides a framework for understanding how risk perception and social comparison influence attitudes toward traffic regulations, highlighting that legislative support is often driven by concerns for collective safety rather than individual self-regulation.

Key finding

Support for legislation restricting cell phone use while driving is primarily driven by the perceived threat to public safety from other drivers' usage rather than concerns about one's own driving ability.

Methodology

survey

Provenance

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Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant on 2026-06-10; verification: verified.

Topics

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• mobile phones
• distraction laws

Information type

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• Applied Guidance: policy recommendations
• Empirical Findings: observational prevalence