Roughly 100 people die per day in car accidents. In 94% of these accidents driver error is the cause (2). To avoid this driver error, people need to put their full attention towards driving. At any given time, around 7% of drivers are using cell phones (2). These devices while driving, even hands-free devices take away the attention that people can put toward driving.
First, to address this issue, hands-free devices must be defined. Hands free devices are devices that let a person talk to another person without directly using a cell phone to communicate. Examples of these devices include earpieces, dashboard systems, and speakerphone systems (2). One poll where participants were asked if they use hands free devices and why they did, found that 70% of people use hands free devices while driving for safety reasons. (4). Yet, these devices that people feel make them safer are actually just as dangerous as using an actual cell phone while driving.
There are three things that are essential for a driver. A driver needs eyes on the road, hands on the wheel, and a mind on driving. When you are listening or speaking while driving, your brain’s ability to process moving images decreases by one-third. A driver that is listening or speaking while they drive also overlooks 50% of what is going on around them (1). These hands free devices take away one of the essential and possibly most important tool for driving: the mind. The lack of these essential abilities can not only put at risk the driver, but also the others on the road.
There have also been many studies and experiments to see how dangerous driving with hands-free devices really is. A 2006 study by the University of Utah tested how dangerous talking on a cell phone is compared to drunk driving. This study found that adults who were intoxicated while driving had fewer crashes then people who were talking on a cell phone. An additional study by Touro University found that level of impairment while driving for drunk drivers was almost the same as the people who were driving with hands-free devices (1).
The famous “MythBusters” show also did an experiment on this same situation. They found the same results as the universities studies, the drivers on hands-free devices did worse then intoxicated drivers. Then the two hosts, Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman took the experiment a little further. They created a driving simulator with pedestrians, dogs, bicycles, and many other obstacles. In a group of 30 drivers, only two were able to pass while talking on a cell phone. Of the fifteen who used handsets: one passed, five failed because they drove the wrong way, and nine failed because they crashed. Of the fifteen who used hands-free devices: one passed, six failed because they drove the wrong way, and eight people failed because they crashed (3). There is obvious statistical evidence that using hands-free devices while driving is just as dangerous as driving while intoxicated or just using a normal cell phone.
Some people may argue that these conversations on hands-free devices are just as dangerous as talking with a person in a car. Yet, this is false. When a driver is having a conversation with someone in a car, a passenger has many benefits that make them safer to talk with. A passenger gives the driver another set of eyes. They are able to point out hazards and obstacles that the driver may have missed. A driver is also more aware of the road situation then a person on the phone. They can see when the traffic is challenging and difficult to the driver. With this level of awareness, the passenger can know to stop talking (2).
Driving hands-free does not necessarily mean risk free. When you drive hands-free, drivers lose the ability to react to things around themselves. Also, driving hands-free is just as dangerous as driving with a regular cell phone or even driving intoxicated. Wouldn’t it just be safer to hold off on the phone call for five minutes and just focus on the road?
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