Cellphone calls -- whether made on a hand-held or hands-free device -- contribute to driver distraction and risky behaviour on the road, according to a new report by the U.S. National Safety Council.
The report, Understanding the Distracted Brain: Why Driving While Using Hands-free Cellphones is Risky Business, references more than 30 scientific studies and reports. It concludes that using the phone requires the brain to multi-task, a process it cannot safely do while driving.
Cellphone use while driving not only impairs driving performance, but also weakens the brain's ability to capture driving cues, the reports said.
It found that drivers who use cellphones tend to "look at" but not "see" up to 50 per cent of the information in their driving environment. A form of "inattention blindness" occurs where drivers are having difficulty monitoring their surroundings and identifying potential hazards and responding to unexpected situations.
The NSC estimated that one out of every four motor vehicle crashes involves cellphone use at the time of the crash.
"Cellphone use while driving has become a serious public health threat," said Janet Froetscher, president and CEO of NSC. "This white paper provides the necessary background and context for lawmakers and employers considering distracted driving legislation and policies.
Several U.S. and Canadian jurisdictions have passed laws banning the use of cellphones but allowing hands-free devices while driving.
"These laws give the false impression that hands-free phones are a safe alternative, when the evidence is clear they are not," said Froetscher. "Understanding the distraction of the brain will help people make the right decision and put down their cellphones while driving."
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