Potentially
unsafe mental distractions can persist for as long as 27 seconds after
dialing, changing music or sending a text using voice commands,
according to surprising new research by the AAA Foundation for Traffic
Safety. The results raise new and unexpected concerns regarding the use
of phones and vehicle information systems while driving. This research
represents the third phase of the Foundation’s comprehensive
investigation into cognitive distraction, which shows that new
hands-free technologies can mentally distract drivers even if their eyes
are on the road and their hands are on the wheel.
“The
lasting effects of mental distraction pose a hidden and pervasive
danger that would likely come as a surprise to most drivers,” said Peter
Kissinger, President and CEO of the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.
“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.
“Drivers
should use caution while using voice-activated systems, even at
seemingly safe moments when there is a lull in traffic or the car is
stopped at an intersection,” said Marshall Doney, AAA’s President and
CEO. “The reality is that mental distractions persist and can affect
driver attention even after the light turns green.”
The
researchers discovered the residual effects of mental distraction while
comparing new hands-free technologies in ten 2015 vehicles and three
types of smart phones. The analysis found that all systems studied
increased mental distraction to potentially unsafe levels. The systems
that performed best generally had fewer errors, required less time on
task and were relatively easy to use.
