I’ve believed this for a while, and was having a discussion with colleagues on Friday on just this topic. In New Zealand, as opposed to South Africa, it’s not illegal to talk (or text!) on your cellphone while driving.
I maintain that it’s not the action of holding the phone which is the problem, but the distraction of carrying on a conversation - the fact that your conciousness is divided between driving, and communicating with the caller.
For this reason, since giving up my business in South Africa, I’ve refused to take any calls on the phone while driving. If we’re on a long trip, my wife will answer the phone and relay important information, but I won’t do anything which requires “heavy mental lifting” while I’m behind the wheel.
So to boil it down, if you phone me, and I’m driving, I generally won’t answer the call. If I do answer, it’ll be to tell you that I’m driving, and that I’ll call you back when it’s safe.
A special corner of hell is reserved for drivers who weave from one lane to another at a crawl while blithely chatting on their cell phones. Even a simple form of multitasking — driving while listening to someone else talk — disrupts the ability to navigate a car safely, a new study finds.
Science News / Shifting Priorities At The Wheel
No Comments on "Any form of multi-tasking while driving is dangerous"