Hands-Free Calling No Safer For Drivers

American drivers who believe talking on a hands-free cell phone while driving is safer than talking on a handheld handset are fooling themselves, according to the American Automobile Association.

AAA said this week that studies of crash-involved cell phone records show that the use of cell phones makes drivers four times as likely to be in a crash.

"Evidence shows that using a hands-free phone while driving impairs your reaction time to critical events and increases your crash risk about the same as if you were using a hand-held phone," said AAA Foundation CEO Peter Kissinger in a statement. "Too many Americans are driving with the false sense of security that hands-free devices are somehow safer, which would be a deadly mistake."

AAA Foundation surveys also have found that drivers generally look down on cell phone use while driving, but then in a "do as I say, not as I do" example, they talk on cell phones when they drive. Even worse, nearly half of drivers between 18 and 24 said they occasionally text while driving. In one AAA survey, 60% said they use handheld phones when driving, while 34% use hands-free handsets.

AAA surveys produced interesting data on teen drivers, the group often singled out as being most likely to talk and text on cell phones. AAA noted that 18 states and the District of Columbia ban all cell phone use while driving by teens.

"Given the trouble new teen drivers have managing distractions and making safe driving decisions, AAA encourages all states to enact laws banning teens from using any wireless device while driving," said Kathleen Marvaso, AAA's VP of public affairs, in a statement. "Texting while driving poses even greater safety concerns." AAA has proposed that texting be banned for all drivers.

In reviewing regulation of cell phone use while driving, AAA said no U.S. state or jurisdiction currently bans all cell phone use in moving vehicles, but there is a rising trend toward introducing legislation to stem cell phone use considered to be dangerous. Where states have failed to act on the issue, local jurisdictions have sometimes stepped in, banning hand-held use of cell phones. Included in this group are Chicago; Santa Fe, N.M.; Detroit; and Brooklyn, N.Y


Resource: http://www.techweb.com