{"id":6399,"date":"2014-07-31T07:12:23","date_gmt":"2014-07-31T11:12:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/doinglifetogether\/?p=6399"},"modified":"2015-01-29T10:11:49","modified_gmt":"2015-01-29T15:11:49","slug":"why-talking-on-the-phone-is-like-driving-drunk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/doinglifetogether\/2014\/07\/why-talking-on-the-phone-is-like-driving-drunk.html","title":{"rendered":"Why Talking on the Phone is Like Driving Drunk"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"2driving<\/a>I now live in a fairly small town and have noticed how many people drive and talk on their cell phones. Without fail, when someone is driving erratically, too slow in a lane or crossing over the mid line, I look, and yes, the person is talking on the phone.<\/p>\n

Researchers tell us that talking on the phone while driving is like driving drunk. Your brain cannot pay attention to the distraction of the phone. It has to switch tasks back and forth to the driving and the talking.\u00a0 When it does, it loses concentration.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s what we know happens when you \u201cdrive drunk\u201d on phone call talking:<\/p>\n

1)\u00a0\u00a0 You follow cars in a more wild fashion.<\/p>\n

2)\u00a0\u00a0 You are a half second slower at hitting your brakes when you need to emergency stop.<\/p>\n

3)\u00a0\u00a0 It takes longer to return to normal speed after an emergency.<\/p>\n

4)\u00a0\u00a0 Your risk for an accident increases<\/p>\n

5)\u00a0\u00a0 You miss more than 50% of the visual cues of driving when on a cell phone.<\/p>\n

In fact, all the task switching involved with driving and doing anything puts you more at risk. Just reaching for an object makes you nine times more at risk for a crash.<\/p>\n

So next time you decide to put on your mascara, eat that sloppy burger or even check out other drivers, know you are increasing your risk for an accident.<\/p>\n

Your brain simply cannot pay attention to more than one thing at a time. Multitasking is a dangerous myth when it comes to cell phone usage and driving.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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