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Driving to distraction: Talking on a hands-free mobile is 'as dangerous as drink-driving'
Last updated at 00:22am on 07.03.08
Driving and talking on your mobile is as bad as drink-driving, say researchers
The loss of focus is said to lead to the same mistakes that drink-drivers make, such as weaving between lanes.
The study examined the effects of motorists simply listening to a voice. They were not required to talk or press any buttons.
Marcel Just, a member of the research team, said: "Drivers need to keep not only their hands on the wheel, they also have to keep their brains on the road. Drivers' seats in many vehicles are becoming highly instrumented cockpits and during difficult driving situations they require the undivided attention of the driver's brain.
"The clear implication is that engaging in a demanding conversation could jeopardise judgement and reaction time."
The study, by scientists at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, found that listening to a mobile phone reduces the amount of brain activity associated with driving by 37 per cent.
The results were based on the performance of 29 volunteers, who were asked to use a driving simulator while sitting inside a brain scanner.
They were told to steer a car along a virtual, winding road at a challenging speed twice.
The first time there were no distractions but the second time they were told to listen to a sentence and decide whether it was true or false.
Listening while driving resulted in lower activity in the parts of the brain associated with spatial sense, navigation and visual information.
Last month, the RAC Foundation found that nearly half of motorists regularly flout the law by texting while driving and a quarter have talked on a hand-held mobile.
The penalty for mobile phone offences was raised last February to a £60 fine and three penalty points.
Reader views (6)
Dear all.
Truly while talking on cellphone we do have our concentration vary/ distraction occurring as if; we are half asleep.
The matter is more dangerous for certain people and less for very few.
Moreover,the most serious issue is reading/sending of SMS. Which even withdraws eye contact;thus even more potential seriousness for the Driver and other road users.
Regards
- Qalander, Karachi PK, 07/04/2008 13:44
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So, you all have hands free devices. Am I right? It is clearly a distraction. One could have their attention severely diverted. It is more of an active experience. For the most part, you are not as engaged in the same type of interaction, with things like the radio or smoking. The dynamic is totally different. Say you find out some horrible news about a loved one. Get in a fight with your mother over the wedding plans, have a steamy exchange, etc. An intense conversation can redirect focus from the serious task that driving should be.
- Thx313, London, UK, 13/03/2008 05:45
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...and so is talking to your passengers, smoking, listening to the radio, looking at the satnav, turning on the aircon, adjusting the seat, opening the sunroof. So what should we do? Hire a chauffeur?
- Nobby Clark, Perth, the Scottish one, 06/03/2008 11:55
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So should we ban passengers? Just how is talking on a hands-free mobile more dangerous than talking to a passenger? Personally I'd have thought the passenger a greater risk, in that the driver may end up looking at the passenger instead of the road.
- Nigel, London, 06/03/2008 11:39
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Talking to a passenger can be more distracting than talking on a mobile phone because there is the temptation to look at that passenger & so away from the road; especially if in a heated discussion. However, most people would consider it ridiculous were a ban imposed on a driver conversing with other people in the cars & so, is it not taking 'Health & Safety' too far banning lesser distractions?
However, if all distractions are to be banned then what about safety cameras that cause drivers to take their eyes off the road to check their speedometer? More important what about average speed checks where drivers will have to keep their eyes more on their speedometer than on the road?
- Keith Simpson, Wareham, Dorset, 06/03/2008 09:56
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What a load of rubbish - who pays these people to "research" this. Seriously, the people doing it must be the most distractive people and completely unable to multitask. Its just the same as talking to a passenger!
- Jo, canvey island, 06/03/2008 09:13
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