People who use a hands-free cellphone while driving are four times more
likely to have an accident. Paul Atchley, a psychologist from the University of
Kansas, says most people can barely focus on four things at a time. Talking on
the phone, listening and thinking about the conversation overloads the driver,
taking too much of their mind off the road.
To continue reading, today with our introductory offers
Advertisement
More from New Scientist
Explore the latest news, articles and features
Popular articles
Trending New Scientist articles
1
Where, when and how to watch the 2026 solar eclipse
2
The race to understand how and when Thwaites glacier will collapse
3
Our verdict on The Selfish Gene: An unpopular piece of popular science
4
Humans sleep the least of all apes – is it the secret to our success?
5
We’ve uncovered a master gene that switches on human development
6
Remote-controlled cockroach swarm can now breathe underwater
7
The best sci-fi novel in 2026 so far – plus 6 other great reads
8
US government wants to have a useful quantum computer by 2028
9
This physicist is hunting for the biggest black hole in the universe
10
How menopause radically changes the brain – and what happens after
