Comment & Debate
“Are hands-free cell phones really safer for drivers?”. Komo News. 25 June 2008 – If talking on the phone is a dangerous distraction, what about talking to a passenger? University of South Carolina Psychology Professor Amit Almor says they’re two different animals.
“When you have someone sitting next you you, that person can, in fact, function as an extra pair of eyes. That person can respond to the changing road conditions,” he said.
If the passenger spots a possible problem, he or she can stop talking and alert the driver.
“A person that’s is not present with you in the car cannot know the situation that you’re in at any moment and will go on with the conversation regardless of the conditions on the road,” said Almor.