What makes you think that driving with a cell phone is any worse than putting on makeup, eating a sandwich, or tuning a radio?
There is no question that there are many distractions in the car, but no driver distraction results in as many crashes as does using a phone while driving. Researchers tell us that there are three kinds of driving distractions. The first is visual—eyes off the road. The second is mechanical—hands off the wheel. The third is cognitive—when our mind is not fully engaged in the task of driving. Cell phones can cause all three types of distractions. The cognitive distraction is the most dangerous and longest lasting, because unlike visual or mechanical distractions, we are typically not aware that we are distracted. In addition, a cell phone conversation taxes not just auditory resources in the brain but also visual functions. That combination prompts the listener to create visual imagery related to the conversation in a way that overrides or obscures the processing of real images (such as traffic lights, stop signs, etc.).
