Drivers on Phones:

Are twice as likely to miss a traffic signal

Their reaction time is slower to the signals they do detect

Their risk of causing a crash increases by 400%

This amount of risk is the same as if the driver were driving legally intoxicated

Using hands free equipment does not improve driver performance.  It is the phone conversation that distracts!
References
Does Cell Phone Conversation Impair Driving Performance? Dr. David Strayer, Frank Drews, Robert Albert and William Johnston, University of Utah 

Association Between Cellular Telephone Calls and Motor Vehicle Collisions, The New England Journal of Medicine, Vol. 336, 1997, Donald A. Redelmeier, MD, and Robert J. Tibshirani, PH.D.
Drivers on phones are sluggish drivers

Please Don't Vote Until You Read Everything Above!  Do you think the use of cell phones should be restricted in moving motor vehicles?
Yes, drivers should not be allowed to use a phone in a moving vehicle except in an emergency
Yes, but only hand held phones
No, any restrictions would be a violation of my rights

Your chances of causing a crash are 4x greater!
The Partnership for Safe Driving is dedicated to fighting all forms of dangerous driving
The Harvard University's Center for Risk Analysis estimates that cell phones are the cause of 2600 deaths, and 570,000 injuries each year.  Mobile pnones are also to blame for 1.5 million crashes per year resulting in property damage.
designed with Homestead
For the months of April - December 2001, the California Highway Patrol attributed at least 4,699 crashes, 2,786 injuries, and 31 deaths to cell phones.  Since the stats were only collected for nine months, the LA Times* reports that the number of crashes for the entire year could be well over 6,000.
*This article has been archived at the LA Times and is available for a price at their website.  However, here is a link to an article based on the original
Haven't had your fill of expert opinion?  More studies here
This page was last updated on: April 24, 2006
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Cell Phone and Driving Statistics
In this interview with Sciencentral, Dr. David Strayer explains why using a head set does not diminish driver distraction.
Kim on the left, Kathy on the right.
(December 27, 1984-July 29, 2002)
Both died from injuries sustained in a cell phone related crash
The Texas Department of Public Safety Releases Cell Phone Crash Data
The number of traffic accidents attributed to cell phone use is up 44 percent in one year. Approximately 1000 Texas crashes and 8 deaths for the year 2001.

It's easy to forget that these statistics and numbers represent real, live people with hopes and dreams.  CarTalk on NPR has published true cell phone crash stories
Enough with the boring statistics!  Have some fun and take a test based on research data and see how cell phone yakking effects your driving!