Talking on a cell phone while driving is as dangerous as drunk driving

A car full of friends is safer and less distracting than the risk of driving while talking or texting on a cell phone--it's true.  In fact, the likelihood of getting into an accident while talking on your cell phone is just as high as if you were driving while legally impaired, which is .08 in most states. Again, it's true.

Surprised?

A study performed by researchers at the University of Utah confirmed the aforementioned dangers as well as the fact that using a hands-free device does not make talking on a cell phone any safer. In fact, operating a cell phone while driving will drastically slow the reaction time of a driver to a level that is comparable to that of a senior citizen.

Doesn't make sense?

Lets think about it this way: a passenger in your car serves as an extra set of eyes.  Even if they are talking, they can act as a lookout for dangerous situations that you otherwise are unlikely to notice if you were fidgeting with a cell phone.  The person on the other end of a phone call or text message isn't able to see what's waiting for you on the roadway, and they surely won't suffer from the physical injury in the resulting car crash.

Put the cell phone away while you're driving:  The call can wait.