For the study, the researchers used the Transportation Institute's naturalistic driving method, which uses technology -- including radars, sensors and cameras -- that is put in vehicles to collect real-world data and analyze drivers performance on the road.
Aside from using a cell phone while driving, here are some of the other distractions that were found to greatly increase crash risk:
- Reading or writing
- Reaching for an object other than a phone
- Using a touchscreen on a GPS or other vehicle technology
- Driving while angry, sad, crying or highly emotional
- Fatigue
- Interacting with an adult or teen passenger