Study: Mobile phones are more distracting than chatty passengers

In the past, we have reported on studies concluding that chatting on mobile phones slows freeway traffic. Well, yet another study, this time conducted by researchers at the University of Utah, finds that mobile phone calls are just plain distracting to drivers. Admittedly, the sample size consists only 41 adults, with 41 of their passenger friends. What is interesting about this study though, is that it pits drivers having conversations using hands-free mobile phones against drivers maintaining in-car conversations with their passengers.

The study noted that drivers on their mobile phones tended to drift in their lanes, and were four times as likely to miss pulling off the highway at a prearranged location. Drivers maintaining conversation with their passengers apparently fared much better. A plausible reason for this is that the in-car passengers actually supported drivers by their talking about surrounding traffic.

No word yet on the effects of texting while driving, which was implicated in a train crash just a few months ago.

For more information:
- check out this Reuters article