Acoustics & Audio Technology

Actually, studies show that drivers are nearly as distracted with a hands free system as they are with a simple hand phone.

The best idea I can think of is one that renders the phone unusable when driving, but that's just me being selfish with my own life and property.

Can you direct us to the studies? I thought that the fumbling at buttons and eyes off the road was the problem. Using voice commands seems no more distracting than talking to someone in the car while driving or just thinking of what your day has in store for you that day, good or bad. Its the amount of time your eyes leave the road to focus on the phone numbers, text, kids and infants, split coffee, food and other distractions that takes your eyes of the road for more than just a glance. And having both hands on the wheel helps the brain handle control as long as the eyes see the road. I think the hands free/voice activated systems with both hands on the wheel is can work. People who drive unaware/mindless of their surroundings should be band from driving anyway. Just my thoughts while thinking and driving of my health and property. Cheers

This article provides details on several studies which show that simply conversing on a cell phone while driving (not just the obvious dialing) is dangerous. You can search on the study names and other details for additional info.

Ken, thanks for the article. A delay in action had been my experience with hand held use in a moving car and that is why I changed to a voice activated/hands free system. I still think that the action of holding the steering wheel with both hands makes a brain connection of mental control, the same way you can drive home and not remember, its automatic. In an emergency you automatically grab the wheel with both hands without thinking. I do agree, any distractions are dangerous. Cheers

In my car when I put my cell phone into its socket on the dashboard it connects to the loudspeaker of the radio and a mic below the central mirror. It's really convenient if you don't have secrets or passengers :-)

That is the system that I have and it works very well and you hit the nail on the head. I had a coworker who was venting about his boss who at the time was sitting next to me. I just kept both hands on the wheel and eyes on the road and the boss and coworker resolved things. Cheers

We call cell phones Brain Leaches. You can tell when a driver/or pedestrian turns one on, they are just along for the ride after that.

I use a blue tooth for driving here because the Revenuers seek additional income to waste.

If I don't answer while driving it is because I'm in traffic and need to watch out for illegal aliens using their cell phone. Once I get out of traffic I'll call you back.

Brad

In chatting with one of the troopers here, he told me that they consider "using a cell phone" a secondary offense. They won't pull you over for using it, but if they pull you over for doing something dumb while you are using it, they will cite you for it.

From the other side of the hill

Bill