Cell Phone Use- Is It Safe?

Cellular phones have become a hot topic for discussion in the news lately. They have been said to cause driver distractions, emit cancer-causing microwaves, disrupt pacemakers, and cause navigational confusion in airplanes. But, what does the research say?

Driver Distractions
A number of automobile accidents across the nation have been attributed to the distraction of mobile phones. The question is not whether they are distracting, but whether they should be banned from use while driving. A number of countries around the world have already enacted laws to prohibit phoning while driving.

Cell phones in the car are a distraction like many other items- the radio, those fries you cannot wait to dive into, or the screaming child in your backseat. The major difference, cell phone users have come to be known as often rude, always aggressive, multi-taskers who are not able to concentrate on only one thing at a time. This is not always the case.

Yes, cell phones have their disadvantages, they can cause you to lose your concentration, they many be an open invitation to theft- if left in your car, and some have a limited calling area. But, the advantages exist too. A cell phone can be the most essential piece of equipment in your car when a breakdown occurs; if you become lost, you can easily call for directions; and it can provide you with peace of mind- allowing you to be reached anytime, anywhere in case an emergency arises.

It is possible to reduce the disadvantages while enhancing the benefits of a mobile phone. Your first focus should always be safety- no matter what. Always keep your eyes on the road, and pull off the road to a safe place if you need to make a call. Make sure your phone can be charged anywhere by carrying an alternate source of power with you, and always carry change and emergency numbers with you in the event your phone will not work.

Cancer-Causing Microwaves
It is a fact that most of the nation's cell phone users may not know that cell phones send electromagnetic waves into user's brains. A specific measurement of how much microwave energy from the phone is able to penetrate the brain is supplied with every model of cellular phone sold in this country.

As much as 60% of the microwave radiation is absorbed by, and actually penetrates the area around the head, depending on how close the phone's antenna is to the head; some radiation is able to reach an inch to an inch-and-a-half into the brain.

"There isn't data to show that what is happening has a health effect," says Thomas Wheeler, president of the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association. Dr. George Carlo agrees, stating that although cell phones have not been proven to be unsafe, more research is needed.

Airplanes
Cell phone use on an airplane is considered to be a crime. According to aviation officials, cell phones can interfere with aircraft navigation systems and with controls for cabin pressure and air conditioning. Law enforcement officials are working to obtain technology, which will allow them to disable wireless handsets.

Gas Stations
On a related note, mobile phone use has been banned at several gas stations across the country. Research indicates that signals are able to ignite combustible materials, the main reason why cell phone use poses a risk at any place where flammable gases are present. The danger is present even when the user is not making a call; the phones emit signals even when they are in standby mode.