Yesterday, I was talking to my dear friend Anne while she was on her cell phone, and I heard her get into a car accident!

It didn't sound nearly as awful over the phone as it would have in a movie, and I had the added benefit of hearing her yell at the other driver "I HAVE THE GREEN LIGHT!" as it was happening and then she told me "I have to go," so it was pretty obvious she wasn't injured and was in full possession of her faculties at all times during the incident. And that it wasn't her fault (isn't that always what you want to know next, after you're assured that people are OK? Maybe I'm just a bad person...)

Before you worry, it was a mere bumper kiss between two vans, and no one was hurt. It wasn't Anne's fault, the other driver HAD run the light.

It started me to wondering...with the news stories on how bad it is to talk on your cell phone while driving, and how often everyone does it, it seems like we'd hear this sort of thing all the time. I thought I'd do some research, and I found this article that shed some light on the subject.

[T]he hard data tells a different story.

The oft-repeated "driving with a cell phone equals drunk driving" comment is based on a small 1997 Canadian study that didn't take other driving distractions into account. A much more comprehensive 2001 University of North Carolina study found that cell-phone use was responsible for only 1.5 percent of distracted driving accidents -- completely contrary to popular belief.

Much larger risks were outside events, other occupants in the vehicle and drivers adjusting radio and CD players.

The article goes on to say that cell phone usage has been the victim of statistical and political manipulation, and that, while it's not good to be distracted while driving, the use of cell phones causes less accidents than other distractions that we think nothing of, such as children in the car, or eating while driving. (My BIL totalled his car while eating, no lie!)

So, for future reference, drive responsibly no matter what's going on in your car. And, if you're talking on your cell phone and you get into a fender bender, do call the other person back right away like Anne did. Even though I was pretty sure she wasn't hurt, that didn't keep me from picking up stakes and moving myself to Freakout City until I heard from her that she was A-OK and on her way...