Cell Phone Conversations Like Driving Drunk for Motorists Studies show that hands-free devices only fractionally improve reaction time.

Distracted driving causes fatalities nationwide every day. How many lives are lost each year and to what degree cell phones are to blame, though, remains to be adequately studied. While there is plenty of data on the books to show that motorists are safer when they focus on driving instead of changing CDs, eating cheeseburgers, or sending text messages, efforts to undertake a comprehensive study have thus far been stifled.

A National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) document* states that "…using a mobile phone while driving [should] be defined in legal terms as an activity on par with the effects of tiredness or alcohol." Alcohol, sleep deprivation, and cell phones—all the same.

Here's the worst part (aside from the part about the NHTSA not releasing the report due to fears of repercussion from congress, which you can read about here): using a hands-free device doesn't make it that much better. While some fatal accidents are prevented by these devices, just the fact that drivers are having a conversation distracts them sufficiently enough to make their reaction time slower and overall cognizance at the wheel dramatically lower.

States that have Laws Banning Cell Phone Use in Cars

According to the Governors Highway Safety Organization, the following states completely ban hand-held cell phone use: California, Connecticut, Washington D.C., New Jersey, New York, and Washington. Most states have restrictions in place for government owned vehicles like school buses, and many cities around the nation have banned cell phone use while driving within their city-limits.

Sound Advice: Hang Up and Drive

Talking on a cell phone distracts motorists as much as having a blood alcohol level of .08%, and it's shockingly common. Some studies report that as many as 10% of drivers on the road are talking on their phones at any given moment. If your state has yet to ban cell phone use while driving, it's likely that it will in the near future.

*Brought to light by the Center for Auto Safety and Public Citizen and published online by the New York Times.