A Deeper Dive Into Hands-Free Devices
Following years of alarming statistics about the dangers of cell phone use while driving, many drivers switched to hands-free devices, believing they had found a safe and legal workaround. But do hands-free devices actually prevent accidents? The research tells a more complicated story than most drivers realize, and it is one worth understanding before you assume that going hands-free makes you a safe driver.
Where The Law Stands Today
As of mid-2025, 31 jurisdictions have full-time handheld bans, including 30 states plus the District of Columbia. Colorado joined that group on January 1, 2025, when a new hands-free law took effect prohibiting drivers from holding or manually using a mobile device while driving. Hands-free accessories such as Bluetooth systems and dashboard mounts are permitted. Penalties start at a $75 fine and two license suspension points for a first offense.
Texting while driving is illegal in 49 out of 50 states, with Montana being the only state without a comprehensive texting ban for all drivers. Despite all of this legislative progress, the core question remains: does making phone use hands-free actually make it safe? The research suggests the answer is no.
University of Iowa Study Finds Hands-Free Devices Still Dangerous
A study by the University of Iowa found that drivers using a hands-free device can take up to twice as long to react to a hazard while driving. The study also found that drivers took at least a tenth of a second longer to perceive a potential roadway hazard while using a hands-free device. While a tenth of a second may not sound like much, remember that an accident happens in a split second. At 60 mph, an extra quarter-second of reaction time translates to an additional 22 feet of distance before you can begin to brake, and that can easily be the difference between a near miss and a serious crash.
The same study concluded that drivers talking on a hands-free device develop a kind of tunnel vision. Their eyes may be pointed forward through the windshield, but they are not scanning the road the way an undistracted driver’s eyes naturally move. Their brain is partially occupied with the conversation, which means their processing of the visual environment around them is significantly reduced.
The Brain Simply Cannot Do Two Things At Once
Study after study has confirmed what cognitive scientists have long argued: talking on a cell phone while driving, whether hands-free or not, distracts your brain from the task of driving. Your attention is divided between the conversation and the road, and the road consistently loses out. In simulations conducted by the University of Utah, drivers talking on cell phones got into more accidents, ran more red lights, braked later, and made more driving errors overall than drivers who were not on a phone, regardless of whether they were using a handheld or hands-free device.
One study on mobile phone use while driving found that it creates over 100 opportunities per hour for an error that could seriously injure or kill you or someone around you. Perhaps even more troubling is the false sense of security that hands-free use creates. Because drivers believe they are doing something safer, they may actually be less vigilant than they would be if they were holding the phone and at least aware of the distraction they were creating.
The Cognitive Distraction Problem
The distinction that matters most in this discussion is not between handheld and hands-free phone use. It is between phone use and no phone use. Research consistently shows that the primary distraction comes not from your hands being occupied, but from your brain being occupied. A conversation with someone who is not in the car with you creates what researchers call cognitive distraction, meaning your mental resources are split between the driving task and the conversation. A passenger in the car with you, by contrast, naturally adjusts the conversation when traffic demands more of your attention. A phone caller does not and cannot.
The National Transportation Safety Board has gone on record recommending a total ban on cell phone use for drivers, whether talking, texting, handheld, or hands-free. While that level of regulation is unlikely to arrive soon in most states, the science behind the recommendation is sound.
What You Can Do
The safest approach is to put your phone completely out of reach before you start driving and let calls go to voicemail. If you must use your phone, enable your vehicle’s Do Not Disturb While Driving feature or use a dashboard-mounted device with true voice activation so you never have to look at or touch your phone. And if a call feels like it needs your full attention, the right move is always to pull over safely before engaging.
If you have been injured by a distracted driver, whether they were using a handheld or hands-free device, you have the right to seek full compensation for your injuries. Distracted driving is negligent driving, and Colorado law holds negligent drivers accountable.
Contact Our Colorado Springs Car Accident Attorneys
If you or someone you love has been injured in a car accident caused by a distracted driver, our Colorado car accident attorneys can help. At Rector Stuzynski Law Firm, we have the experience and resources to build a strong case and fight for the maximum compensation our clients deserve. Call us today at (719) 578-1106 for a free consultation. We are available 24/7 and ready to help.
