U.S. Withheld Data on Risks of Distracted Driving http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/21/technology/21distracted.html?hp Should cell phone use by drivers be illegal? http://blogs.consumerreports.org/cars/2009/07/should-cell-phone-use-by-drivers-be-illegal.html Car cellphone ban likely this year http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10585951 Road Phone Bans Inevitable http://www.kentucky.com/181/story/869523.html?storylink=omni_popular Whirling Dervish Drivers [Free registration may be required] http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/22/opinion/22dowd.html The Center for Auto Safety http://www.autosafety.org/ Concerns about the safety of using cellphones and other devices while driving automobiles have been growing for years, and recent events in the news (including a well-publicized subway crash in Boston in May) have piqued the interest of various consumer groups and other advocacy organizations. This week, the New York Times reported that a major study looking into the safety risks posed by cellphone users driving automobiles and other vehicles was effectively squashed back in 2003. The Times reported that the former head of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Dr. Jeffrey Runge, said he was urged to hold off on such a study, and that members of Congress might construe such a study as a form of lobbying states to make policy changes. A number of groups have expressed grave concerns over this situation, including the Center for Auto Safety. In a recent interview, the director of the Center, Clarence Ditlow, remarked, "We're looking at a problem that could be as bad as drunk driving, and the government has covered it up." The first link will take users to an article from this Monday's New York Times about why the proposed study never occurred. The second link leads to a piece from Consumer Reports on whether cell phone use by drivers should be illegal, along with links to opinion pieces from several experts. Moving on to the other side of the world, the third link leads to a piece from this Wednesday's New Zealand Herald which suggests that a ban on cellphone use in cars will take place there by the end of the year. The fourth link leads to a thoughtful column from Tom Eblen of the Lexington Herald-Leader on this subject. Further along, the fifth link will take interested parties to Maureen Dowd's take on the subject, courtesy of the New York Times. Finally, the last link leads to the homepage of the Center for Auto Safety. Visitors can read up on their research regarding cellphone use and driving, along with information on fuel economy, defect investigations, and pending lawsuits.