According to a recent survey released earlier this month, 8 percent of drivers, or 1.2 million people, are using handheld or hands-free cell phones at any given time during daylight hours. That's double the number from just 4 years ago. What does that mean for your safety? More and more studies are telling us that, whether it's handheld or hands-free, cell phone conversations are distracting to drivers. 2,600 deaths and more than 300,000 collisions each year are related to cell phones. Some 40 states are talking about joining New York, New Jersey and Washington, D.C. in banning hand-held cell phones in vehicles. Of all the distracting things we do in our cars, cell phones aren't the worst. The most prevalent (普遍) distracting events were conversations, eating and drinking, and dealing with things that had dropped in the car. Researchers have found that dialing takes your eyes off the road and talking on the phone takes your mind out of the car and into the conversation. University of Utah studies show that cell phones, even while using a headset, have a real effect on reaction time. Some even compare it to driving while drunk. If you thought your hands-free cell phone is safer because both hands are free to grip the wheel, think again. Hands-free units can be less safe, because it leads to longer conversations and more mental distraction.