Image source: http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/driving-cell-phone.jpg
Do you make or accept calls on your cell phone while driving? You're not alone. Although use of mobile phones while driving is common, it is becoming increasingly controversial. Some jurisdictions have banned the use of driving with mobile phones unless a wireless headset is worn, and others have prohibited the use of cell phones in automobiles altogether! Here are some important reasons why cell phones do not belong in your automobile.
Many studies verify that cell phones cause automobile accidents, due to inattention while driving. A common fix for this is the Bluetooth headset, but beware! Bluetooth headsets may do more harm than good! These actually enhance exposure to radiation because the headset acts as an antenna which is inserted directly into the ear and may raise the amount of radiation entering the ear canal by 300%! An air flow headset which delivers sound through an air-filled wireless is a safer, healthier choice.
Research has shown that cell phone radiation is amplified inside of an automobile! The metal frame traps the radiation inside the car, not allowing it to dissipate, and use within an enclosed metal space can require maximum power output from your phone. Combine this with a newer model automobile and it is like sitting inside of a microwave oven! The tinting installed on newer cars causes electromagnetic waves to bounce back and forth inside the cabin of the vehicle, exposing the occupant/s to increased levels of radiation. According to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (a British charity which aims to promote safety) people are FOUR TIMES MORE LIKELY TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT when using a cell phone while driving, due to the 'brain fog' created from electromagnetic radiation. One solution is the installation of an external antenna which boosts the cell phone signal and improves in-car cellular antenna performance up to 50% for wireless phones. This requires less power from your cell phone, which means fewer radioactive waves bouncing around inside the car!
We may think that we are good at multitasking, but when it comes to cell phones and driving, we are NOT. Dr. Steve Yantis, a Psychologist at Johns Hopkins University, conducted research on how listening affects visual abilities, using magnetic resonance imaging to look inside the brains of study participants. For specific tasks, distinct parts of the brain lit up, showing increased blood flow. The research concluded that when participants concentrated on listening, the part of the brain that controls vision became less acute and vice versa. It stands to reason then, that concentration on listening to a cell phone conversation affects visual abilities of a driver, as it is impossible to devote equal attention to both tasks! The best remedy for this is to simply pullover when using your cell phone in an automobile.
Ideally, the safest choice regarding driving and cell phone use is to skip it altogether and wait for a safer time and place to make the call. However, in our fast-paced society there are those whose careers depend on quick communication. In this case, take the precautions listed above to make your mobile phone calls as safe as possible.
