Curse Of The Bluetooth Headset

Since recent California legislation went into effect that bans talking on cell phones while driving, the sale of Bluetooth headsets has significantly increased. And while it's reassuring that motorists are actually abiding by the law, I'm not sure that Bluetooth will alleviate the problem that is cell phone-yacking drivers swerving all over the road.

Sure Bluetooth makes it so your hands are free so both can be on the wheel, but what about your mind? When you're chatting it up, you certainly won't be paying attention to the road. That I'm sure of.

When you talk on the phone with someone while you're at home, let's say, are you paying attention to what's in front of you? No. You most likely aren't even aware of what's in front of you as you get lost in the conversation. The same thing can happen when you're on the road. And that's why talking and driving, headset or no headset is bound to cause a lot of bad driving, period.

But then that calls into question several other factors as well. Is a huge sound system in your car distracting, then, too? Books on tape? Conversation with a passenger? It's hard to gauge, really, as one person's entertainment could be another's complete and total crash-inducing distraction.

One thing is for certain, though. I will still get cut off by people on their cell phones. Only now, I won't be able to tell if they're on the phone or not. They will no longer be called "crazy cell phone drivers." Instead, they'll be the "crazy talk to themselves drivers." It's a shame because I won't be able to steer clear of them, either.

That's why I want to hear what you think. Do you think the Bluetooth headset craze will fix the nuisance of bad driving caused by cell phones or will it merely put to rest the worst offenders? Leave your thoughts in the comments!

[Image from AutoSpies]