Hands-Free More Dangerous Than Disclosed [View All]

[Kadie]

Hands-Free More Dangerous Than Disclosed
Hidden Documents Show Distractions Increase Likelihood Of Crash

POSTED: 4:17 pm PDT July 21, 2009
UPDATED: 5:37 pm PDT July 21, 2009

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Newly released government documents show hands-free devices are more dangerous than the public was told.

California's hand-free law passed more than a year ago. But Public Citizen, a consumer watchdog group, said Americans weren't given all the facts about how dangerous a hands-free device can be.

"So whether you're doing that on hands-free device or on a handheld cell phone, the distraction of the conversation causes the increased likelihood of a car crash," said Margaret Kwoka, an attorney with Public Citizen.

Government documents show the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has been keeping the research hidden for the past six years. California drivers questioned why valuable safety information wouldn't be made public.

http://www.kcra.com/news/20135536/detail.html