Flip phones can be dangerous, but not statistically more so than other styles of cell phones.
According to the United Nations International Telecommunication Union, there are 5 billion cell phone users around the world. There are many styles of cellular phones, but no particular style, including a flip phone, is more dangerous than other styles. Dangers arise from how phones are used and the radio signals that operate them.
Cell Phones and Driving
One of the greatest dangers of cellular phone use is that they are used by drivers. All distracted driving is dangerous, including talking on a phone or flipping it open. However, texting while driving is the most dangerous driving distraction by a huge margin, increasing crash risk by 23 percent. Laboratory and road tests confirm this conclusion, according to tests by Virginia Tech University and AAA Foundation.
Radiation Risks
Cell phones emit radio frequency (RF) energy, although in low amounts. Although many raise concerns about possible negative health effects from the use of cell phones, there are no definitive results. The Imperial London School of Public Health started a study in 2010 to determine whether cell phones increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease, stroke, multiple sclerosis and other illnesses.
Cancer
One of the primary concerns about cell phone use is the possibility of cancer developing in heavy cell phone users. Ionizing RF energy is the type found in X-ray machines and similar devices. It has been shown to cause cancer with repeated exposure. As of 2010, however, no studies show that the nonionizing RF waves in cell phones cause similar cancer risk, according to the National Cancer Institute.
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