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Ohio driver cellphone use exceeds national estimates
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Kaely Hawkins, left, and Nicolette Pizzuto, students at Youngstown State University and NewsOutlet interns, use clickers to count cars passing below the Route 711 overpass. They also were counting the number of drivers using cellphones.
By SHELBY HEITZENRATER
TheNewsOutlet.org
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates 5 percent of people hold a cellphone or other electronic device while driving.
The News Outlet decided to test that percentage number on highways in Northeast Ohio. During afternoon rush hour on three good-weather days, student reporters equipped with clickers stood on overpasses in Akron, Youngstown and Cleveland and counted drivers holding cellphones.
“The clicker process for Akron was a little tricky. Since it was the first planned counting we did, we had to lay down the groundwork for Cleveland and Youngstown,” said Sartaj Aujla, a News Outlet reporter. “Examining cars was a little bit tough, especially trying to view if people are looking at their cellphones. However, what we found was a majority of the drivers that we counted had their cellphones very close to them while driving.”
In Akron, the reporters stood on the Wolf Ledges Parkway overpass and counted cars traveling eastbound on Interstate 77. They worked in teams of two: one counted all cars in a lane, while the other counted those using cellphones.
Of the 4,605 total cars traveling from 4 to 5 p.m., 365 drivers were holding cellphones. That’s 8 percent — 3 percent higher than the government prediction.
The percentages were higher in the next two counts.
On the Interstate 90 overpass near East 185th Street in Cleveland, reporters counted 5,871 total cars from 4 to 5 p.m. with 613 drivers — or 10 percent — holding their phones for talking or texting.
Youngstown drivers were even more connected to their phones. Of the 1,078 cars that passed on state Route 711 from 4 to 5 p.m., 149 drivers — or 14 percent — were seen using a cellphone.
The counters were surprised how easy it was to spot people using their phones.
“When counting in Akron, I even had an individual wave his phone during his conversation. It was as if he was showing off that he was talking and driving,” said reporter Jay Jackman.
The drivers weren’t just paying attention to their phones.
“Some of the drivers thought it was funny to see us up on the bridge before going under it, and waved,” said reporter Mia Daly, who participated in the Youngstown count. “We also had a few who made inappropriate hand gestures to us.”
In Youngstown and Cleveland, police officers approached the reporters.
In Cleveland, “Traffic was backed up enough to cause police to show up,” said reporter Nicolette Pizzuto.
In Youngstown, drivers called police to say there were people on the overpass who might be throwing things off the bridge. Two Girard squad cars arrived to investigate. Officer Steve Lewis spoke with a reporter who explained the purpose of the project.
“The cop was intrigued. I asked him his opinion,” Daly said.
“He was direct and looked me in the eyes: ‘From my point of view as a policeman, it’s the dumbest and most self-absorbed thing you could do as a driver.’”
TheNewsOutlet.org is a collaborative effort among the Youngstown State University journalism program, The University of Akron, Cuyahoga Community College and professional media outlets including, WYSU-FM Radio and The Vindicator and The Beacon Journal and Rubber City Radio, both of Akron.