[Sherman Logan]

Of course, the cell phone industry likes to use the term 'distracted driving' which allows them to justify mobile phone use by saying it is no different from tuning the radio or talking to a passenger. We would do well to ignore this self-serving argument. Reliable experiments have shown that talking on a cell while driving is tantamount to driving with a blood alcohol level of .08, or legally drunk. Anecdotal evidence tells us that texting is much worse.

All true, I'm sure.

But that talking on a cell is like driving while legally drunk tells us nothing at all about how dangerous it is relative to talking to a passenger.

[Fai Mao]

Talking to a passenger does not require the use of a hand or for you to take your eyes off the road. Additionally the passenger can look where you are going and stop talking if the situation demands it.