After what seems to have been an interminable wait, I'm very happy to see the debate over cellular phones moving away from the amount of radio frequency (RF) energy the human body absorbs each time someone uses one, to a far more hazardous, real-world problem: Using a mobile phone safely while driving a car.

For those who think it's everyone else who has that problem, you won't be surprised to learn about a special category of folks called "supertaskers" whose reflexes perform as well as, or better than everyone else's when they are multitasking. What will surprise you, however, is how exclusive that group really is.

A recent study outed this very talented group of multitaskers while measuring the driving safety of 200 folks on simulators with no distractions at first, then later on while doing math calculations and memorizing words given to them from a hands-free cell phone. Out of all the volunteers who participated in the study, only five could drive safely while talking on a cell phone, and two did better on math problems.

What's more, the chances you are among the 2.5 percent of supertaskers who can drive safely while talking on a cell phone are about as slim, according to one of the study's co-authors, as the likelihood of flipping a coin and getting heads or tails five consecutive times.

The next time a loved one asks you to pull off the road to make a phone call... just do it.

National Geographic April 2, 2010

healthfinder.gov March 31, 2010