A consumer group founded by Ralph Nader is suing the federal government to force officials to release a study on whether cell phone use was causing traffic deaths.
In a lawsuit filed last week in D.C. federal court, the Center for Auto Safety is accusing the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration of illegally withholding data on the number of traffic deaths linked to cell phone use.
The agency conducted a worldwide review of driver distraction in 2003 and found that cell phones were a factor in at least 955 road deaths the previous year. The report has never been made public.
After some of the information from the study was leaked earlier this year, the center filed a Freedom of Information Act request for the complete data. In April, a government lawyer denied the request, claiming that the information was exempt because it touched on the agency’s “deliberative process.”
Governments around the world have studied the question of whether cell phones are dangerous for drivers; many states and cities — including the District — have banned or restricted cell phone use behind the wheel.
Center lawyer Margaret Kwoka says she’s mystified that the federal government wouldn’t want to give guidance on an important public safety question.
“It’s factual information. The public wants to know it and make its own information decision,” Kwoka said. “There’s a culture of secrecy.”
Agency spokeswoman Karen Aldana declined comment for this story.
Open-government advocates have routinely blasted the Bush administration for its secrecy.
“They just don’t like anyone to know what they’re up to,” said Lucy Dalglish, executive director of the Reporters Committee for the Freedom of the Press. “I would hope that with the change of administration, we’re going to see a little more transparency. But I’m not holding out much hope for it.”
