If you look at real-world studies published in such places as the Britsh Medical Journal, you will find that talking on a cell phone (hands free or otherwise) makes you four times more likely to be involved in a traffic incident which requires hospital treatment. Others have noted up to a one second drop in reaction times during a cell phone conversation during simulated heavy traffic (Strayer, David L., Frank A. Drews, and William A Johnson. Cell Phone-Induced Failures of Visual Attention During Simulated Driving. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied 9.1 (2003): 23-32). This makes your reaction times *worse* than someone just at the legal drink/drive limit (and, before anyone makes a comment, I'm certainly not condoning drinking and driving). It is far worse than talking to another person in the car as the rate of conversation, the clarity of sound etc. require a much higher congitive overhead. There just isn't a conversation that is worth it.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Rik @ Dec 19th 2005 2:06AM
If you look at real-world studies published in such places as the Britsh Medical Journal, you will find that talking on a cell phone (hands free or otherwise) makes you four times more likely to be involved in a traffic incident which requires hospital treatment. Others have noted up to a one second drop in reaction times during a cell phone conversation during simulated heavy traffic (Strayer, David L., Frank A. Drews, and William A Johnson. Cell Phone-Induced Failures of Visual Attention During Simulated Driving. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied 9.1 (2003): 23-32). This makes your reaction times *worse* than someone just at the legal drink/drive limit (and, before anyone makes a comment, I'm certainly not condoning drinking and driving). It is far worse than talking to another person in the car as the rate of conversation, the clarity of sound etc. require a much higher congitive overhead. There just isn't a conversation that is worth it.