Distracted Driving: The New Drunk Driving

April is Distracted Driving Month. The Economist reports on the effects of cell phones on driving ability:

The human brain has to work harder to process language and communication with somebody who is not physically present.

Such distractions, according to one study, make drivers more collision-prone than having a blood-alcohol level of .08%, the legal limit in America. It appears to raise the risk of an accident by four times. Texting multiplies the risk by several times again.

This is striking. While research into the quantitative effects of distracted driving will surely continue to amaze us, we don’t need statistics to remind us to be safe while driving. Everyone let’s remember to pay attention to the road.

>> Read more: Car safety: Think before you speak | The Economist

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