Making calls while driving
The phone does not belong in your hand when driving. As a driver, you need to have both hands and your full attention on the steering wheel. This means not only refraining from holding your phone while driving, but also leaving it firmly in the holder. Above all, it means not making any calls while you drive, ideally not even using hands-free. Why? A driver’s attention drops by about 10% when talking on the phone while driving and they often reduce the safe distance. The brain can only process a certain amount of inputs at any time, and unfortunately it limits inputs that shouldn’t be limited as we drive.
What else should you know about calling while driving?
The phone can do more than occupy your hands and attention. For example, if you drop it. The first panic sets in when you instinctively reach out to catch it and look for it, suddenly forgetting all about driving. It can also fall in places it really shouldn’t, such as under the brake pedal.
Talking on the phone while driving, including the use of hands-free, reduces our ability to perceive and react properly. It also impairs our peripheral vision and rear-view mirror perception. The result is that we focus our attention on just a small segment. That’s roughly the same view as a drunk driver or tank driver, but sadly your car won’t last that long.