Hands-Free is Not Risk-Free Driving
Hands free technology is relatively new in cars. While many believed that it would be the answer to talking and texting while driving, it is proving to be just as distracting and dangerous. It is not just physical distractions that are the issue with distracted drivers, cognitive distractions are just as dangerous.
About 25% of all car crashes involve cell phone use – including hands free!
The Types of Distracted Driving
There are four main types of distracted driving:
- Auditory
- Visual
- Manual
- Cognitive
Of these four types of distracted driving, it is often the cognitive distractions that get overlooked. Cognitive distractions are mental distractions. DO you ever daydream while driving? Ever zone out? These are cognitive distractions. So are things like have an engaged conversation with a passenger or thinking about things that are not related to driving.
Hands free texting is considered multitasking and is a cognitive form of distracted driving because it takes your attention off the road.
Learn more about this: STOP Distracted Drivers
AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety Study Proves Dangers of Mental Distractions
The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety study found that:
“As mental workload and distractions increase, reaction time slows, brain function is compromised, and drivers scan the road less and miss visual clues, researchers say. This could potentially result in drivers being unable to see items right in front of them, such as stop signs or pedestrians.”
This data follows smaller study by the Texas Transportation Institute that found that “texting while driving using a voice-to-text application was just as dangerous as texting manually”
Learn more about these studies here: AAA: Hands-free texting and calling are not risk-free
National Safety Council Hands Free is Not Risk Free Infographic Findings
The National Safety Council Recently released an infographic on this topic outlining the dangers of cognitive distractions and, again, showing that hands free is not risk free driving. Here are some of the findings:
- New studies show using voice to text is more distracting than typing texts out by hand.
- The activity in the area of the brain that processes moving images decreases by about one-third when listening or taking on the phone.
- Drivers can miss seeing up to half of what is near them when talking on a phone or hands free device.
Learn More: Hands Free Is Not Risk Free Infographic
What does this Mean for Hands Free?
It is clear that even though hands free devices and technology help you keep your hands on the wheel and eyes on the road, it still does not reduce your ability to be distracted. Therefore, even if you have a hands free setup in your car, it is still important to focus on driving and take that incoming phone call when you are parked. Being distracted is not worth the risk!
Do you use hands free devices in your vehicle? Do you use them? Do you think they are safe?