Driving While on Cell Phone Worse Than Driving While Drunk - By Steven Reinberg, Health Day Reporter

Maneuvering through traffic while talking on the phone increases the likelihood of an accident five-fold and is actually more dangerous than driving drunk, U.S. researchers report. That finding held true whether the driver was holding a cell phone or using a hands-free device, the researchers noted.

U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has just completed a study that showed that 75 percent of all traffic accidents were preceded by some type of driver distraction, Tyson said. "Our recommendation is that you should not talk on the phone while driving, whether it's a hand-held or hand-free device," Tyson said. "We realize that a lot of people believe that they can multi-task, and in a lot of situations they probably can, but it's that moment when you need your full attention, and it's not there because you are busy talking, that you increase the likelihood that you are going to be involved in a crash," he said.

And just think, this article was written by Americans, where driving is relatively safe and everyone obeys the rules 99% of the time! It should be a huge wake up for those of us that face daily hazards in Kenya and other parts of Africa. Kim Edmunds, Director, Glen Edmunds Performance Driving School.