Driving With Cell Phones

["Greg Koehler (Volt Computer)" <a-gregk@microsoft.com>]

I was watching the news last night with that story about how driving
with cell phones supposedly increases your risk of an accident 4-5
times.  Apparently it doesn't matter whether you are holding a phone or
if it is a hands-free setup, reason being that your mind is
concentrating on the conversation rather than the road.  (If this is
true, a conversation with a passenger in the vehicle would be just as
dangerous, perhaps even moreso if you are the type that likes to turn
your head to face the other person)  During the news segment, a
journalist interviewed a state patrol officer.  The officer said he was
not at all suprised by the new study -- "if you're holding a phone with
one hand and not concentrating on driving and you need to react, you're
going to be in a world of trouble."  Ironically, the interview was
conducted in the officer's moving vehicle; the officer was driving with
his left hand on the steering wheel while he gestured with his right
hand; and he was even turning his head to talk to the journalist!