Hands-free phones can increase risk of crashing

THE use of hands-freemobile phones while driving is more likely to distract a motorist than talking to a passenger or changing a radio in the vehicle.

New research shows that the use of hands-free car phone sets — which are widely regarded as safer than hand-held units — can still increase the risk of a collision for drivers.

The study by Britain’s Transport Research Laboratory (TRL), called Conversation in Cars: The Relative Hazards of Mobile Phones, tested the effect of certain tasks on driver performance.