If you must answer a phone call while driving, which option best reduces distraction?

• A. Use a hands-free device and keep both hands on the wheel
• B. Hold the phone to your ear with one hand
• C. Text while driving
• D. Stop the car in the middle of traffic to answer

Answer: (A)

Using a hands-free device and keeping both hands on the wheel is the best way to reduce distraction when you must answer a phone call while driving. It minimizes the manual distraction by not requiring you to hold the phone, so your hands stay on the steering wheel and your control over the vehicle remains steadier. It also helps your brain allocate more attention to driving rather than to gripping the phone.

Even with a hands-free setup, conversations can still pull your attention away, so keep calls brief, use voice commands, and pull over to a safe location if you need to discuss something in depth. Other options introduce greater risk: holding the phone with one hand means one hand isn’t on the wheel, increasing the chance of loss of control; texting demands your eyes, hands, and mental focus, which greatly raises crash risk; stopping in traffic to answer creates a dangerous interruption for you and surrounding drivers.