SALT LAKE CITY, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- Motorists are more distracted by talking on a cellular phone than by conversing with a passenger in an automobile, a University of Utah study found.
Psychologists Frank Drews, David Strayer and Monisha Pasupathi used a driving simulator to gauge how motorists are distracted.
The researchers found that drivers talking on a cell phone drifted out of their lanes and missed exits more frequently than drivers conversing with a passenger.
"The passenger adds a second set of eyes, and helps the driver navigate and reminds them where to go," Strayer said.
The study's findings will be released Monday by the American Psychological Association and published in the Dec. 15 issue of the Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied.
Previous studies by Strayer and Drews have found that hands-free cell phones are just as distracting as handheld models.
