Dialing, texting, or even reaching for a cellphone while driving raises the risk of a crash, especially for newer drivers according to a new study.
Just talking on a phone while driving did not prove as dangerous as it has in some other studies, but the new study did not distinguish between handheld and hands-free devices.
Research finds that the risk is greatest for newly licensed teen drivers, and that they are much more likely to be involved in a crash while texting or reaching for a phone.
Researchers installed video cameras, lane trackers, gadgets to measure speed and other sensors in the cars of 42 newly licensed drivers and 109 adults with decades behind the wheel.
The study was published in Thursday's New England Journal of Medicine.