Children more distracting than cell phones, study finds

Parents of small children will not be surprised by findings released recently by Australian researchers stating children pose a greater distraction to drivers than talking on cell phones -- a 12 percent greater distraction, to be exact.

With all the screaming and crying infants bring to the commute and the fighting and other factors older siblings contribute, we wonder why nobody has pointed a finger at our precious angels sooner. Perhaps because there is little we can do to control when or where our kids decide to dissolve into fits of rage or sorrow.

NBC's video clip details the results of the research and shows Faris trying to maintain focus while driving with her own children in tow.

The story suggests parents teach their children a few rules of the road including letting kids know drivers cannot reach back to pick up dropped objects until the vehicle stops, and making sure kids have plenty of snacks and other sorts of entertainment to keep them satisfied while the driver keeps his or her eyes on the road.

By Sherrice Gilsbach