Slow down. Pay attention.

Perhaps those words should be emblazoned on every highway overpass.

It only takes a moment of inattention to snuff out a life or cause life-altering injuries in an accident. Driving an automobile requires experience, skill and excellent reflexes.

It is simply illogical to think that a person talking on a cell phone, unwrapping a hamburger, disciplining a child or reading a map while driving can have their full attention on the task at hand.

One of the largest studies ever conducted, released last week, determined that people who use cell phones while driving are four times as likely to be involved in an injury accident as nonusers.

This study was unique because of the large number of accidents studied, 500, and because it compared actual cell-phone records to accident reports.

Often, police reports are incomplete or drivers involved in accidents don’t mention they were using their phones. The Australian study linked the times of cell-phone calls to accidents, and even compared the overall use of heavy users to light and nonusers.

The kicker here is that Australian law only allows the use of “hands-free” phones. In most U.S. states, drivers are often seen breezing through traffic lights and pulling on to busy highways with a phone glued to their ear.

Perhaps that overpass message should be: Slow down. Pay attention. Stay alive.