“Okay our next question is it illegal to use a hands free phone when you’re driving? Okay, we all know the severe distraction, the severe problem of a handheld phone. You’re holding a handheld phone or any digital type device, you’re liable to six points on your licence and a very hefty fine as it is so crazy, so dangerous.
So, I can see the question, what about if it’s a hands free? It’s not illegal, but it’s not safe. It’s marginally less dangerous than using a handheld. That’s really because you’re not using a hand to hold the phone, but your brain is working very differently with a conservation on a phone whilst driving compared to speaking, for example, with your passengers.
Whether handheld or hands-free, your brain is processing a conversation with somebody, somewhere else that you can’t see. You’re answering or asking questions or explaining something or trying to understand what somebody else is saying to you adn you’re doing that whilst driving and you’re imaging the person, who they are, what they’re doing, where they are and that’s a great deal of distraction that you don’t need. It takes your attention away from the road, it increases the likelihood of you making a mistake that increases the risk of you having a crash and hurting yourself or your occupants in the car or other road users.
It’s not worth any phone call to be doing that.
Using handheld devices, of course, can get you six points in a £200 fine. Using hands-free can get you similar penalties if it’s seen to be a distraction – Taking you towards careless or even dangerous driving
Reaction times are also badly affected, similar sort of reaction times damage to when people are also drinking under the influence of drink or under the influence of drugs. It is that bad. All of them are a bad choice. Would you want your dentist to make a phone call whilst doing your teeth? Wold you be okay with the surgeon chatting to the golf club mates about the gold match next week while they’re opening you up to do some surgery? Would you expect your favourite sports person to be having a chat on the phone in the middle of a football match or tennis match or something like that?
I think not.
So turn off your phone, put it in driving mode and turn off. No notifications so that you’re not going to have those distractions. Some phones have a findable function. On the iPhone, it’s called Find My and then, it’s whoever is it’s. A friend or a relative. It’s a really good idea to keep that switched on so that in the event that you get delayed, the car breaks down, you have a crash or you’re off the road in a ditch somewhere, somebody somewhere can find where you are and call emergency services.
You know what happens when a phone rings don’t you? You and everybody arounds checks the phone. That, in itself, is a distraction. It isn’t very good to leave your phone on and then take a phone call to say you’re not taking the phone because you’re driving – Because you’re already driving and you’re already talking on the phone.
Have a look a the Foxfen mobile phone advert, hopefully the link will be in the description somewhere, which is a real eye opener, if you’re thinking of driving with any sort of phone, whetehr it’s hands free or handheld. Okay safe driving.”
