18 
California just passed a law that says drivers are free to text and email while they drive, as long as they’re doing it by voice. Sounds safer, right? Not exactly, according to quite a bit of research.
Opponents of the law—specifically the National Safety Council for California—are calling for its repeal, citing years and years of evidence that says you’re almost just as distracted when you use voice controls, even though your hands are free:
No surprise that drivers who texted by hand drove very poorly: they reported greater mental demand during the drive, took longer glances away from the roadway, and steered worse compared to baseline driving performance. Those who used the in-vehicle system did a little better. They didn’t have much problem receiving text messages through the in-car system, but sending them posed a problem.
One study even compared your cognitive state—texting with or without hands—to that of someone who had a blood alcohol level of around 0.8, the legal limit in most states. While your mitts are free, your mind is still elsewhere. And that doesn’t exactly make you a safe driver. So this kind of legislation doesn’t exactly do us any favours. [The Atlantic Cities]
Image credit: Shutterstock/wavebreakmedia
Urgh I really don’t have time for people who use the phone while they’re in the car. I don’t give a sh*t how safe you think you are. Doesn’t help I almost got taken out by a bloke on his phone (I was cycling), though he did start swearing at me when I pointed at him…
No matter how much of a “good driver” you think you are, doing anything other than driving is stupid and dangerous.. phones, tablets (thats the new thing at traffic lights!!) eating or smoking.. all just plain stupid.. Saw a woman drift in font of a bus in to a bus lane trying to light a fag. Bus had to do an emergency stop and she never noticed and just drove off.. i hope she burns..
front* #Gizneedsaneditbuttonlikelastyearcosnonofusproofreadshitandalllookreallystupid
I am quite surprised that smoking whilst driving is still legal. Seems totally at odds with current legislation
Texting while driving could be bad, but holding coffee one hand and phone on the other is just insane
What the fuck is wrong with pulling up to the side of the road when safe to do so, and sending or reading the text (if it’s even THAT important that it can’t wait the 20 minutes drive (if that) to read it). I just don’t get it. If its important, you’ll be glad that you pulled over so that you can fully concentrate on the matter. If not, then you wasted 30 seconds of your journey, fricking big deal, you’ll get over it !
The fine for using a mobile whilst driving should be much higher, you should loose 6 points or reduce to 3 if you take a dangerous driving course at your own expense. Seriously *u*§± me off, I have had a van crash into the back of my car when I was in a que. at traffic lights because the driver was to busy on his phone to notice! I see mums with car full of kids talking on their phones and lorry drivers texting and they really don’t see it as a problem. Simple, turn you phone off or put on silent, get a hands free if you really have to but really needs much higher level of policing, more so than speeding IMO.
depends if you’ve got a google car or not.
Apparently, so is texting while walking. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-21116547