Hands free devices for your phone seem like a way safe and legal way to allow you to use your phone while drive.
It has been revealed, however, that using these devices can make you take up to twice as long to react, according to a study by University of Iowa.
Scientists found that motorists also took a tenth of a second longer to see potential dangers on the road while using these devices.
Under the new mobile phone driving laws drivers can receive a £200 (rising to £1,000 if your case goes to court) and six penalty points on their licence.
Reaction times are affected equally as badly if a driver is using a hands-free kit, chatting to a passenger or holding a phone to their ear.
These distractions can increase reaction times to a quarter of a second.
At 60mph this delaying is the equivalent to a car travelling at 60mph taking an extra 10ft further to stop.
Distracted/careless driving also carries a fine of £100 and three penalty points.
Elsewhere in the study it reinforces that speaking on a mobile phone while during is almost as dangerous as drink-driving.
The US researches used computerised experiments to track drivers eye movements of 26 volunteers.
It attempted to mimic the ‘active listening’ required to take in information and prepare a reply during a conversation while driving.
People took twice as long to look at a new object on screen than those who weren’t asked a question.
The study, in the journal Psychonomic Bulletin and Review, says: “It becomes so effortful, while holding a conversation, to move your attention and eyes around that you reduce the amount you do it.
“Drivers on the phone have a kind of tunnel vision where they are looking out of the windscreen but not moving their eyes around as much.”
Co-author Shaun Vecera, professor of psychological and brain sciences, said: ”It slows your attention down – and we’re just not aware of it because it happens so fast.
“It is going to delay your ability to react by braking. Ten feet at 60mph can be the difference between stopping safely and rear-ending someone.”
A study of driving habits while using a mobile phone by Zendrive revealed that using a mobile phone while driving creates “105 opportunities an hour to kill yourself or others.”
According to the research US drivers used their phones in 88 per cent of journeys and that using a phone behind the heel increases your chance of a collision by up to 20 times.
Daily Express :: Life and Style Feed
