To date, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, New Jersey, New York, and numerous cities (e.g. Chicago) have various bans on the use of cellphones. In effect this week, a new Colorado law bans teenager drivers from talking on cellphones while driving. This Colorado law only targets new drivers who must have an adult in the car, but limited laws like this are generally only the first step for further related restrictions.

Lawmakers continue to read outdated research that only evaluate mobile devices and new technology in isolation. Are cellphones distracting? Yes. Does using a headset with a cellphone reduce the driver’s distraction. No. In fact, using a headset generally makes a user feel more comfortable while talking on the phone, which causes them to use the phone even more.

The more complete research on driver distraction have looked at the level of driver distraction for a wider range of activities often performed in the care: adjusting the radio, talking/dialing the phone, talking to passengers in the vehicle, writing notes, reading directions, putting on make-up, eating, etc. Almost across the board these studies have shown that the level of distraction among these activities is very similar.