Do I have to tell people they're on speakerphone?

• Author: Cohen, Randy
• Position: The Ethicist - Brief article

There's a speakerphone built into my car. When I get a call and someone else is in the car with me, I think it's common courtesy to immediately inform the caller. What do you think?

L. M., Washington, D.C.

I THINK YOU SHOULD NEVER use the phone while driving. To do so increases your chance of getting into an accident fourfold, similar to driving drunk. If you put only yourself in danger, you could be as thrill-seeking as you wished. But by talking on the phone while driving, you endanger other people on the road, and that's unethical. If you're a young driver (on a learner's permit or under 18), that's also illegal in 36 states and D.C.

To think about the social niceties surrounding your misconduct is quibbling. You might as well ask...