I’ve got a habit of hanging up on people if I know that they’re calling me from a cell phone in their car. I’ve been grumbled at this on more than a few occasions, especially lately when they can use the excuse that they’re using a ‘hands free’ headset, so they don’t have to have one hand on the phone. I’ll still get off the phone — I’ve never believed that jabbering on a cell phone while driving, with or without a headset, is safe.
Looks like researchers agree with me.
Talking on a mobile phone while driving your car is just as dangerous when using hands-free equipment as when holding the phone in your hand, according to a Swedish study published on Monday.
The National Road Administration (SNRA) tested 48 people in driving simulators, dividing them into two groups — one with and the one without hands-free mobile phone devices.
The drivers in both groups received about 10 phone calls each during 1.5 hours of simulated driving in different conditions. The test revealed almost no difference in reaction time between the two groups.
“It is the distraction of the phone conversation that is the problem,” Ingemar Skogo, the SNRA director general, told Reuters.
So, please — if you’re going to call me — get out of the damn car first.