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When it comes to in-car Bluetooth, many car owners rave about it, saying, “I no longer have to worry about being caught by traffic police for talking on the phone while driving, and it reduces my driving risk; it’s truly a great thing.”
With the improvement of laws and regulations in China, since early 2013, using a handheld phone while driving has been classified as illegal behavior, leading to the widespread installation of in-car Bluetooth in vehicles. The invention of in-car Bluetooth is designed to keep both hands on the steering wheel at all times, lowering the probability of traffic accidents! Nowadays, many people connect their phones to the in-car Bluetooth before driving, so even when a call comes in while driving, they don’t have to worry; they just need to press the answer button on the steering wheel.
That said, is in-car Bluetooth really as safe and reliable as many car owners believe it to be?
Let’s not even talk about safety for now. Everyone knows that in-car Bluetooth operates as a loudspeaker; if there aren’t many people in the car, that’s fine, but if there are quite a few passengers, using in-car Bluetooth can become awkward. Let me share a story I saw on Zhihu that describes an “accident.” Experienced drivers understand this situation, and I believe many car owners have had such an unforgettable embarrassment.
“So, my colleague C was sitting in the passenger seat hitching a ride home after work, and Xiao Hu called me; I answered on Bluetooth:
Xiao Hu: Are we going out for dinner tonight?
Xiao Hu: Let’s go eat at Panjia BBQ.
Xiao Hu: C got promoted to deputy manager; did you see the red-headed document?”
I: Oh, I just heard about it.
Xiao Hu: Ugh, someone like that can get promoted to deputy manager; I’m just amazed…”
Actually, if the car owner encounters this situation, it’s not too bad since it doesn’t really concern them. However, what if one day a female colleague calls you while your wife is in the car? I can’t even imagine the consequences; just expect to be kneeling on the keyboard when you get home.
Although in-car Bluetooth has its shortcomings in terms of personal privacy, is it really as safe and reliable as many car owners believe, freeing our hands and reducing the likelihood of traffic accidents?
At the end of 2016, research conducted by Australian researchers showed that whether using a handheld phone or hands-free calling, drivers’ reaction times were 40% longer than when not on the phone. In other words, the so-called safety factor of in-car Bluetooth is actually nonsense. So why do people in China generally believe there is such a big difference between answering a handheld phone and Bluetooth? It’s mainly due to the insufficient strictness of our laws. According to the implementation regulations of the Road Traffic Safety Law in China, it only prohibits answering handheld phones, so subconsciously, people think as long as they’re not using a handheld phone, it’s fine.
It’s important to know that in some European and American countries, “driving while using a phone” has been considered illegal since 2003, and the maximum penalty for driving while talking on the phone can lead to up to 2 years in prison, not just for handheld phones. In Singapore, those who answer calls not only face fines but also up to 6 months in prison, and repeat offenders can be imprisoned for up to a year. In those countries, even having in-car Bluetooth won’t help you.
Of course, it’s not to say that in-car Bluetooth is completely useless. In fact, in China, in-car Bluetooth is quite a practical tool. The fast-paced lifestyle and complex social relationships in China make phone calls an indispensable way of communication. Therefore, under Chinese law, since answering handheld phones is illegal, in-car Bluetooth is the best choice. However, I remind everyone to pay attention to the time, place, and occasion when answering calls! More importantly, stay safe! Don’t become the headline news the next day, and don’t become the protagonist of the story above! Be cautious!
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