University of Utah research has found the use of a hands free telephone is as perilous as drinking. (Trainers in the driving industry could have told them this for free.)
Volunteers were asked to get behind the wheel of a driving simulator four times. They 'drove' once while not distracted, once while using a hand - held mobile phone, once using a hands-free kit and once after drinking vodka and orange juice to the blood- alcohol limit.
Professor Frank Drews, the study's co-author, said: "We found that people are as impaired when they drive and talk on a cell phone as they are when they drive at just over the legal blood-alcohol limit, if the legislators really want to address driver distraction, then they should consider outlawing cell phone use while driving."
Our government had an ideal opportunity last year to ban the use of ALL telephones whilst driving but they 'chickened out' and allowed the use of hands free sets, now we see drivers being distracted by their hands free sets and driving standards sinking.
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This is no doubt true. Has any research been done on eating, drinking and smoking whilst driving?
Posted by: RossA | Jul 01, 2006 at 22:04