Not only is it dangerous to drive while talking on your mobile phone or iPhone or Blackberry, it’s also not good for your relationship either.

So says a professor who thinks that if driving while distracted by your technological gadget is bad enough, imagine what trying to hold up your end of the conversation in your relationship might be. Relationships rely on good, clear communication. Driving relies on good, clear undivided attention and no distraction. The two don’t seem entirely compatible, so it seems to reason the good professor has a point.

“In general, cell phone usage while driving might lead to missed relationship stop lights, slow reactions to dangerous relationship circumstances, loss of control of one’s part of the interaction, and interaction mistakes that could lead to conflict, hurt feelings, misunderstandings, and possibly even serious damage to the relationship,” Rosenblatt says in the article.

Various friends have told me over the years — and it’s something I’ve experienced myself — that it often seems like a person isn’t really “listening” when they talk to them when they’re driving. Divided attention usually means one or both tasks end up getting the short end of the straw. That could have dangerous consequences — not just for ourselves, but for the health of our relationship.

The easiest solution is also the simplest — put down the cell phone while you’re in the car. If you must take a call while driving, let the caller know you’re driving and keep the conversations on-task and brief. Or better yet, let the call go to voicemail and return it when you’re out of the car. Unless you work from your vehicle (e.g., a contractor or tradesman), driving while talking on your cell phone is just a risk that you should try to minimize and, whenever possible, avoid altogether.

Read the full article: Relationship Damage From Talking on Cell Phone while Driving?

Dr. John Grohol is the founder & CEO of Psych Central. He is an author, researcher and expert in mental health online, and has been writing about online behavior, mental health and psychology issues -- as well as the intersection of technology and human behavior -- since 1992. Dr. Grohol sits on the editorial board of the journal Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking and is a founding board member and treasurer of the Society for Participatory Medicine.

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    Last reviewed: By John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on 17 Jun 2010
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