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If your doctor asks if you're putting your safety in danger with this common habit, what will your answer be? Hi, I'm Dr. Cindy Haines, host of HealthDay TV. In the new issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, a Harvard physician urges her fellow doctors to start asking patients if they drive while distracted by devices such as cell phones. After all, she points out, doctors often ask patients during checkups if they protect themselves with a seatbelt or helmet, or put their health at risk with cigarettes or alcohol. Research has found that talking on a cell phone while driving is associated with a risk of crashing similar to driving while intoxicated. And texting while driving may make a person 23 times more likely to crash compared to driving without distractions. The US Department of Transportation has set up a website to encourage people to avoid distractions while driving. Even talking on the phone hands-free, such as with a headset, can still make you drive more poorly, the website warns. For more information on distracted driving, visit the website at www.distraction.gov. I'm Dr. Cindy Haines of HealthDay TV, with the news that doctors are reading; health news that matters to you.
