If the Massachusetts House gets its way, Bay State drivers can hang onto their steering wheels or their cellphones - but not both.
Last month, the lower house passed legislation that would ban drivers from text messaging while on the road and require them to use hands-free technology while making voice calls.
Drivers have plenty of hands-free options. Millions of phones have jacks for a headset; wired headsets can be had for $10 or less. Millions of other phones feature Bluetooth, a short-range radio networking technology. Bluetooth phones work with wireless headsets that sell for $25 and up.
Bluetooth phones can also communicate with hands-free systems installed in the car. According to research from Telematics Research Group, nearly 70 percent of new cars sold in the United States can be ordered with Bluetooth compatibility. Almost every car made by
There are plenty of aftermarket accessories that can add Bluetooth hands-free features to older cars. Consumers can purchase Bluetooth speaker phones that clip to the sun visor;
The hands-free bill may not survive the long commute through the Massachusetts Senate. It faces opposition from key members who believe an existing law against driving while distracted is good enough. But if the bill is enacted, it would make Massachusetts the sixth state to mandate the use of hands-free phones while driving. Outside the United States, about 50 countries have already outlawed the use of a handheld phone behind the wheel.
But there's not much evidence that hands-free chatting will reduce the risk of accidents. In fact, a number of research studies have found that drivers are dangerously distracted by phone conversations, even if they're using hands-free cellphones. A 2002 study from the University of Central Florida found that drivers with hands-free devices would often react too slowly to oncoming red lights, sometimes forcing them to slam on the brakes. A 2003 study from the University of Utah found that people who phone while driving frequently fail to notice clearly visible obstacles and hazards, because they're focused on the conversation. The Utah researchers got the same results whether a caller held the phone or used a hands-free device.
Even companies that make hands-free phone equipment say it's not a panacea. "Our position is, the safest thing of all is not to talk on the phone," said Mike Hedge, vice president of marketing for Parrot Inc., a major maker of hands-free gear. Parrot offers its customers a $20 rebate for downloading and signing a list of cellphone safety rules posted on the company website. "One of those points is, 'Pull over,' " said Parrot's president and chief operating officer Ed Valdez.
Don't hold your breath. A new University of Utah study estimates that 73 percent of America's 240 million cellphone users chat in their cars. They're not likely to stop, but a hands-free kit might at least help them hang on to their steering wheels.
Hiawatha Bray can be reached at bray@globe.com.
