Many of us have seen other drivers make serious mistakes, such as pulling out in front of oncoming traffic, and noticed that they were talking on their cell phones when the mistake was made. The drivers apparently were oblivious to the danger they had created. Many of us may have made mistakes ourselves while using a cell phone.Study after study has shown that cell phone use may not be as distracting as other activities (such as reaching into the glove department or dropping and trying to retrieve something), but it still poses a great risk. And that risk is exacerbated because cell phone use when driving is a far more common occurrence than most other distractions.A study from the University of Utah, published in the 2006 issue of Human Factors, found that talking on a cell phone while driving is almost as dangerous as driving drunk, even if the phone is a hands-free model. An earlier study found that reaction time was slowed by 17 percent when the driver was using a cell phone. Anyone who drives understands that concentration is crucial to safe driving. Any distraction, whether it's a cell phone or a crying child, can disrupt that concentration and slow reaction time. The results can be deadly.We haven't found a study related to texting while driving, but it's easy to see how distracting that could be.\For further details visit at:www.thefranklinnewspost.com/article.cfm?ID=13921
