Cell Phones Give Students False Sense of Safety

Mar 4, 2008 4:50 PM

           

A new study from three professors finds that college students packing cell phones feel safer than those without and are more likely to take risky walks at night.

The research reveals that carrying a cell phone can amp up risk-taking, particularly among women.

"Students seem to feel less vulnerable when they carry a cell phone, although there's no evidence that they really are," says study researcher Jack Nasar, a professor of city and regional planning at Ohio State University. "If anything, they are probably less safe because they are paying less attention to their surroundings."

Nasar, Peter Hecht of Temple University in Philadelphia and Richard Wener of Brooklyn Polytechnic University in New York conducted two surveys, each of about 300 male and female college students in 2001 and 2002.

According to Fox News, the researchers interviewed the students, whose average age was under 24 years old, via telephone and online surveys. The results were announced Monday.

According to the study, nearly 62 percent of students reported carrying a cell phone in 2001. More than 85 percent said they were carriers in 2002. That percentage has likely risen.

As of December 2007, nearly 90 percent of Americans age 18 to 29 years old reported owning a cell phone, with 32 percent of these young adults indicating they "couldn't live without" their mobile, according to the Pew Internet & American Life Survey.

The 2001 survey by Nasar revealed most mobile-phone users felt somewhat or a lot safer with cell phones when walking alone at night. Women reported feeling a greater boost in safety when holding a cell phone compared with males.

The second survey showed 42 percent of women reported that with a cell phone they had walked someplace after dark where they wouldn't normally go, while just 28 percent of men reported such late-night treks.

"Especially for women, cell phones offer a sense of security that may make them more willing to put themselves in risky situations," Nasar says.

In a separate study, Nasar and his colleagues found that 48 percent of cell phone users crossed a busy road in front of approaching cars, compared with only 25 percent of those not using phones.

"We know that cell phones pose a hazard for people when they're driving, but pedestrians may also be at risk if they are not careful," Nasar told Fox News.

Nasar said the team's results, detailed in the December 2007 issue of the International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, suggest colleges should update safety lectures commonly given to incoming freshmen.

"Students need to be aware of their surroundings when they're out using their cell phone," Nasar said. "In some cases, walking with a cell phone might make them vulnerable, either to crime or to an accident."

Want to use this article? Click here for options!
© 2008 Penton Media Inc.

SUBSCRIBE

Select an Issue April 1, 2008 March 1, 2008 February 1, 2008 January 1, 2008 December 1, 2007 November 1, 2007 October 1, 2007 September 1, 2007 August 1, 2007 July 1, 2007 June 1, 2007 IP Security Supplement May 1, 2007 April 1, 2007 March 1, 2007 February 1, 2007 January 1, 2007 School Security December 1, 2006 November 1, 2006 October 1, 2006 September 1, 2006 August 1, 2006 July 1, 2006 June 1, 2006 May 1, 2006 April 1, 2006 March 1, 2006 February 1, 2006 January 1, 2006 December 1, 2005 November 1, 2005 October 1, 2005 September 1, 2005 August 1, 2005 July 1, 2005 June 1, 2005 May 1, 2005 April 1, 2005 March 1, 2005 February 1, 2005 January 1, 2005 December 1, 2004 November 1, 2004 October 1, 2004 September 1, 2004 August 1, 2004 July 1, 2004 July 1, 2004 June 1, 2004 May 1, 2004 April 1, 2004 March 1, 2004 February 1, 2004 January 1, 2004 December 1, 2003 November 1, 2003 October 1, 2003 September 1, 2003 August 1, 2003 July 1, 2003 June 1, 2003 May 1, 2003 April 1, 2003 March 1, 2003 February 1, 2003 January 1, 2003 December 1, 2002 November 1, 2002 October 1, 2002 September 1, 2002 August 1, 2002 July 1, 2002 June 1, 2002 May 1, 2002 April 1, 2002 March 1, 2002 February 1, 2002 January 1, 2002 December 1, 2001 November 1, 2001 October 1, 2001 September 1, 2001 August 1, 2001 July 1, 2001 June 1, 2001 May 1, 2001 April 1, 2001 March 1, 2001 February 1, 2001 January 1, 2001 December 1, 2000 November 1, 2000 October 1, 2000 September 1, 2000 August 1, 2000 July 1, 2000 June 1, 2000 May 1, 2000 April 1, 2000 March 1, 2000 February 1, 2000 January 1, 2000 December 1, 1999 November 1, 1999 October 1, 1999 September 1, 1999 August 1, 1999 July 1, 1999 June 1, 1999 May 1, 1999 April 1, 1999 March 1, 1999 February 1, 1999 January 1, 1999 December 1, 1998 November 1, 1998 October 1, 1998 September 1, 1998 August 1, 1998 July 1, 1998 June 1, 1998 May 1, 1998 April 1, 1998 March 1, 1998 February 1, 1998 January 1, 1998 December 1, 1997 November 1, 1997 October 1, 1997 September 1, 1997 August 1, 1997 July 1, 1997 June 1, 1997 May 1, 1997 April 1, 1997 March 1, 1997 February 1, 1997 January 1, 1997

This month in Access Control

• Opening Up About Door Closers
• An Enterprise Approach
• The Framework For Open Systems
• On A Higher Plane
• More from April's issue