[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.dsslaw.com\/blog\/hands-free-does-not-mean-risk-free\/#Article","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/www.dsslaw.com\/blog\/hands-free-does-not-mean-risk-free\/","headline":"Hands-Free Does Not Mean Risk-Free","name":"Hands-Free Does Not Mean Risk-Free","description":"You can use hands-free, Bluetooth technology while you are driving in New Jersey. However, you should ask yourself: Even though it is legal, is it still safe to do so? You may find that the risk of getting involved in a serious\u00a0car accident\u00a0while using a hands-free device may be similar...","datePublished":"2016-07-19","dateModified":"2021-04-13","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.dsslaw.com\/blog\/author\/dsslaw\/#Person","name":"Davis, Saperstein & Salomon, P.C.","url":"https:\/\/www.dsslaw.com\/blog\/author\/dsslaw\/","identifier":12,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/645d493126a7be6f90be911a6e7d4382c0cd63874673097832081394c8bcf8ab?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/645d493126a7be6f90be911a6e7d4382c0cd63874673097832081394c8bcf8ab?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Davis, Saperstein & Salomon, P.C.","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.dsslaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/bg-logo.jpg","url":"https:\/\/www.dsslaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/bg-logo.jpg","width":192,"height":90}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.dsslaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/driving-car-with-navigation-device.jpg","url":"https:\/\/www.dsslaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/driving-car-with-navigation-device.jpg","height":368,"width":700},"url":"https:\/\/www.dsslaw.com\/blog\/hands-free-does-not-mean-risk-free\/","about":["Distracted Driving"],"wordCount":806,"keywords":["distracted driving"],"articleBody":"You can use hands-free, Bluetooth technology while you are driving in New Jersey. However, you should ask yourself: Even though it is legal, is it still safe to do so?You may find that the risk of getting involved in a serious\u00a0car accident\u00a0while using a hands-free device may be similar to the risk you would face if you were using a conventional phone to talk or text while behind the wheel.Debunking Myths About Safety of Driving with Hands-Free PhonesIn theory, hands-free driving should be safer than using a hand-held device. However, as\u00a0The Washington Post\u00a0reports, the Discovery Channel\u2019s \u201cMythbusters\u201d crew debunked that notion.As The Post explains, MythBusters conducted an experiment with a virtual driving simulator at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California.They created a street with many \u201cobstacles\u201d for a driver who was not paying attention, including:PedestriansUnleashed dogsBicyclists.(On an average urban street, of course, you typically would encounter even more obstacles, including cars, electric scooters and other motorized and non-motorized vehicles.)Out of the 15 virtual drivers using hands-free devices who took the MythBusters test, \u201cone passed [the driving test], six failed by driving the wrong way and eight failed by crashing.\u201dBased on these results, MythBusters concluded that \u201cit is no safer to use a hands-free device while driving than it is to use a handset.\u201dUnfortunately, state laws seem to have been drafted with the notion that hands-free cell phones do not pose the same amount of danger as hand-held phones.According to the\u00a0New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, drivers can face fines ranging from $200 to $800 if they are caught talking or texting on hand-held wireless communication devices. Depending on whether it is a first or a repeat offense, a driver can also lose a driver\u2019s license.But as the Commission states, \u201calthough it is discouraged, drivers may use a hands-free device if it does not interfere with standard safety equipment.\u201dIn addition to the MythBusters test we mentioned above, the\u00a0National Safety Council\u00a0(NSC) provides a wealth of data that points to the distracted driving risks involved in using Bluetooth devices while driving.According to the NSC, more than 25 percent of all car crashes involve a driver using a cell phone, including hands-free devices. Additionally, the NSC reports that:Brain activity decreases by more than 30 percent when listening to a phone conversation on either a hand-held or hands-free device.Drivers can miss seeing up to 50 percent of what is around their vehicle when their mind is not entirely on driving.Voice-to-text\u2014or hands-free texting\u2014may actually be more distracting than using your hands to type out a text message.Study Shows Risks of Hands-Free DevicesIf these facts are not enough to make clear that hands-free talking certainly is not distraction-free driving, you should take a look at some information that was reported recently by\u00a0The Washington Post.According to the newspaper, a new study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety showed that hands-free technologies used by almost a third of drivers \u201ccan create mental distractions even if drivers have their hands on the wheel and eyes on the road.\u201dThe study also found that using a voice-activated entertainment system while driving \u2014 in other words, hands-free technology \u2014 can distract a driver for up to 27 seconds. If you are going 25 miles per hour, your car can travel the length of three football fields in that amount of time. (Now, imagine you are driving on the New Jersey Turnpike. Just think of how many football fields you would at that rate of speed during those 27 distracted seconds.)Hurt by a Distracted Driver? Contact Our New Jersey Auto Accident LawyersDistracted driving can take many forms. It results whenever a driver does not have his or her hands, eyes and mind on the road.Despite the fact that many Americans believe hands-free technology is safe to use while behind the wheel, studies show that Bluetooth technology results in serious distractions that can lead to severe auto accidents.If you or someone you love has suffered injuries in a traffic collision that involved a suspected distracted driver, you should discuss your case with an experienced New Jersey or New York car accident lawyer as soon as possible.\u00a0Contact Davis, Saperstein\u00a0&\u00a0Salomon, P.C., to receive a free consultation.About the AuthorLatest PostsDavis, Saperstein & Salomon, P.C.Since 1981, the compassionate personal injury lawyers at Davis, Saperstein & Salomon have been delivering results for our deserving clients. We are solely committed to helping injured individuals, never representing corporations.\u00a0No matter how large or small your personal injury case is, you can trust that it is important to us.NYC Construction Accident - The Dangers of Jobsite Falls and Workers' RightsSteven Benvenisti Advocates for HALT Drunk Driving LawDavis, Saperstein & Salomon, P.C. Named #1 Law Firm"},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Blog","item":"https:\/\/www.dsslaw.com\/blog\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Hands-Free Does Not Mean Risk-Free","item":"https:\/\/www.dsslaw.com\/blog\/hands-free-does-not-mean-risk-free\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]