Mobile phones distract drivers more than passengers

Mobile phone calls distract drivers far more than even the chattiest passenger, causing drivers to follow too closely and miss exits. Using a hands-free device does not make things better and the researchers believe they know why -- passengers act as a second set of eyes, shutting up or sometimes even helping when they see the driver needs to make a maneuver. The research, published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied, adds to a growing body of evidence that mobile phones can make driving dangerous.