Driven to Distraction - At 60 M.P.H., Office Work Is a High-Risk Job - Series - NYTimes.com

On a related note, see  Distracted Driving Blamed for 5,800 U.S. Deaths

On Wednesday, the Transportation secretary, Ray LaHood, called the broader phenomenon of distracted driving a “deadly epidemic” at a meeting on the issue in Washington. Real estate brokers, pharmaceutical sales people, entrepreneurs, marketers and others say they have little choice but to transform their cars into cubicles. In this merciless economy, they say, they have to make every minute count, and respond instantly to opportunities and challenges.

And they argue that the convenience of constant contact — and the chance to tick off items from an endless to-do list while driving — far outweigh what they think are slim chances that it could lead to a wreck.

For white-collar employees, pressures to multitask are largely self-imposed. For blue-collar workers, the demands to stay connected while driving are often imposed by their bosses.

Driven to Distraction - At 60 M.P.H., Office Work Is a High-Risk Job - Series - NYTimes.com