Distracted driving -- including cell phone use -- is a major contributor to automobile crashes. Between 4,000 and 8,000 crashes related to distracted driving occur daily in the United States. In a year, they contribute to as many as one-half of the 6 million U.S. crashes reported annually.

Distraction = More Than Hands and Eyes

Driver distractions are nothing new. They've been a topic of discussion since windshield wipers were introduced in cars during the early 1900s.

Obviously, drivers are distracted when they take their hands off the wheel or their eyes off the road. Equally troubling, they're also distracted when they take their mind off driving -- when they're thinking about things other than the road in front of them and the vehicles around them. Drivers can be distracted talking on the phone or eating a sandwich in the car.

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