--- title: Are Hands Free Cell Phones Safe? | TIME description: Are hands-free phones safer to use when driving than a hand-held phone? Our Healthy Skeptic finds the facts to keep you safe on the road. canonical: https://time.com/video/6EXo2FiH/ og:title: Are Hands Free Cell Phones Safe? og:description: Are hands-free phones safer to use when driving than a hand-held phone? Our Healthy Skeptic finds the facts to keep you safe on the road. og:url: https://time.com/video/6EXo2FiH/ og:image: https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/6EXo2FiH/poster.jpg?width=720 og:type: video.other twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Are Hands Free Cell Phones Safe? twitter:description: Are hands-free phones safer to use when driving than a hand-held phone? Our Healthy Skeptic finds the facts to keep you safe on the road. twitter:image: https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/6EXo2FiH/poster.jpg?width=720 --- # Are Hands Free Cell Phones Safe? > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. 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They are at time.com/newsletters and are separate from a paid subscription. ## Video: Are Hands Free Cell Phones Safe? [Watch (HLS stream): Are Hands Free Cell Phones Safe?](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/6EXo2FiH.m3u8) (2:20)  _Published 2015-05-15. Are hands-free phones safer to use when driving than a hand-held phone? Our Healthy Skeptic finds the facts to keep you safe on the road._ --- Jul 27, 2023 6:15 PM UTC --- ## More From This Series [All Videos](https://time.com/video/) [Left-Handed? You May Not Want to Buy an iPhone](/video/017vO0sz/) ### Left-Handed? You May Not Want to Buy an iPhone [Fake Cell Phone Towers Could Be Tapping Into Your Phone](/video/Qiz2DbKT/) ### Fake Cell Phone Towers Could Be Tapping Into Your Phone [Healthy Skeptic: Do Hand Sanitizers Work?](/video/g4TKajCn/) ### Healthy Skeptic: Do Hand Sanitizers Work? --- ## Transcript You're watching Everwell. Know more. Live better. [ MUSIC ] [ NOISE ] I use my hands- free cell phone device when I'm in my car, so I can always pay attention to the road, and keep my hands on the steering wheel and not be distracted. If, like me, you You took a drivers ed course one of the first things you learn was to keep your hands firmly on the wheel at all times. A hands- free cell phone device like this lets you do just that. Which is why it would seem to be safer than holding a phone to your ear while driving. In fact, a growing number of states have passed laws requiring drivers to use hands free devices. But these laws and our faith in hands free phones may be misguided. A study of Australian drivers showed that those using a cellphone were four times more likely than non cell users to be in a serious crash even if the phone was hands free Lab studies involving simulated driving helps explain why. Talking on the phone appears to slow reaction time. Watch how this driver engrossed in conversation fails to brake in time to avoid hitting a building. Oh, I just got in an accident. Subjects using hands free devices Do no better than those holding their phones. Oh, I just hit a car. Some research has even found cell phone users to be as impaired as drunk drivers, regardless of the type of phone. The reason is distraction. You may think you're mind is fully on the road, but in fact, your attention is partly diverted to whatever you're talking a- And research suggests that cell phone conversations are more distracting than talking to other passengers, because they can tell when the driver needs to concentrate. You know, given our reliance on cell phones. It may not be realistic for most of us to avoid using them altogether in the car. So the best advice, talk only when necessary and keep it brief. If you need to have a longer conversation, pull over or wait until you reach your destination. Doing so may very well save your life. 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