Many people feel that by using hands-free technologies while behind wheel they are safer because they aren’t as distracted since their eyes are on the road and their hands are on the wheel.
That isn’t the case, according to new research by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety – an organization that conducts research to address growing highway safety issues. It finds that potentially unsafe mental distractions can persist for as long as 27 seconds after dialing, changing music or sending a text using voice commands.
The results raise new and unexpected concerns regarding the use of phones and vehicle information systems while driving.
“The lasting effects of mental distraction pose a hidden and pervasive danger that would likely come as a surprise to most drivers,” says Peter Kissinger, the Foundation’s president. “The results indicate that motorists could miss stop signs, pedestrians and other vehicles while the mind is readjusting to the task of driving.”
Researchers found that potentially unsafe levels of mental distraction can last for as long as 27 seconds after completing a distracting task in the worst-performing systems studied. At the 25 mph speed limit in the study, drivers traveled the length of nearly three football fields during this time.
When using the least distracting systems, drivers remained impaired for more than 15 seconds after completing a task.
With all the craziness that with goes on out on the roads these days, any distraction poses a safety risk.
My practice is to not use any mobile device while driving.
I pull over in a safe spot to if I feel I need to make/receive a phone call or check emails and text messages. Yes, it does add some time to a trip, but it also adds a measure of safety.
