When it comes to multitasking behind the wheel, most of us are like that tone-deaf contestant in a karaoke contest: blissfully ignorant of our own limitations.

Take, for example, a fleet driver named Pete. He's on the road right now, headed for an important sales call in Houston. The client’s office is still 50 minutes away. Pete decides to use his Bluetooth-enabled, hands-free phone to call his boss and run through the sales presentation one last time. The practice run will help fine-tune the pitch and make the drive time go by quicker, right?

Pete's intentions may be good, but it’s just a bad idea. That kind of phone conversation will present a cognitive distraction that might compromise his ability to clearly see his driving environment and make the right split-second decisions. Blame it on the human brain.

Here’s a video from AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety that explains why. You may want to pass this tip along to your drivers.