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A study conducted by a psychology professor at the University of Utah suggests that motorists who speak on mobile phones drive slower on the freeway.

Nearly 21 percent people speak on the phone in medium traffic, while 19 percent drivers use their mobile phones in high density traffic. The study further says that people talking on the phone while driving are less likely to change lanes. Otherwise drivers change roughly seven or eight lane per 9.2-miles.

The study also indicated that motorists talking on the phone drive an average of 2 mph slower and take 15 to 19 seconds longer to complete the 9.2 miles.

“We designed the study so that traffic would periodically slow in one lane and the other lane would periodically free up,” said Cooper who is a doctoral student in civil and environmental engineering.

“It created a situation where progress down the road was clearly impeded by slower moving vehicles, and a driver would benefit by moving to the faster lane, whether it was right or left,” added Cooper.

Dave Strayer, leader of the research group had earlier conducted such kinds of studies which said that hands-free mobile phones are no less dangerous while driving than hand-held phones because the conversation itself is the major distraction.

Also Strayer’s group concluded another study with drivers talking on mobile phones are as impaired as drivers with the 0.08 percent blood alcohol level that defines drunken driving in most states.