Hands Free Cell Phones Not Necessarily Safer
According to CNN, the use of hands free cellular phones in cars may not necessarily be safer than using the phone the traditional way. Here in New York, where our state law prohibits the use of hand held phone while driving, I constantly see drivers blatantly flouting the law as if it didn't exist. Employers should review their technology policies and rethink whether employees should be yacking on the phone in their company cars while driving - hands free or not. According to the article, it's the talking that creates the distraction, not whether you use your hands.
According to the article:
"National Highway Traffic Safety Administration researchers said devices like head sets or voice-activated dialing led to longer dialing times than for hand-held phones. The delays offset the potential benefit of keeping both hands on the wheel, the report said.
The research adds to a growing body of studies that suggest hands-free cell-phone systems do not deliver the safety benefits automakers and legislators had thought."
I'm imagining a scenario where an employee is driving on company business, talking on his/her cellular phone and is involved in an accident. Even if the employee is compliant with hands-free laws, is he/she still negligent for using the cellular phone while driving??? Something to think about.