Hands-free or not, cell phones still distracting

A Virginia Tech-NHTSA team studied 100 drivers for a year and has concluded that cell phone use is a key cause of traffic accidents. This closely watched study was released yesterday. The team of researchers used cameras and other sensors to record what happens before a crash or near miss. One of the goals of the study was to discover if hands-free devices offer any sort of safety advantage. It seems that it is not the cell phone itself, but the conversation that is distracting. Of course, the cell phone companies argue that cell phones are not the only driver distraction. Sounds like, "Stop picking on me." The bottom line is you should be careful about distractions while driving.