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If you think it is okay to talk to your car infotainment system or smartphone while driving or even when stopped at a red light, think again. It takes up to 27 seconds to regain full attention after issuing voice commands, University of Utah researchers found in a pair of new studies for the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.
One of the studies showed that it is highly distracting to use hands-free voice commands to dial phone numbers, call contacts, change music and send texts with Microsoft Cortana, Apple Siri and Google Now smartphone personal assistants, though Google Now was a bit less distracting than the others.
The other study examined voice-dialing, voice-contact calling and music selection using in-vehicle information or "infotainment" systems in 10 model-year 2015 vehicles. Three were rated as moderately distracting, six as highly distracting and the system in the 2015 Mazda 6 as very highly distracting.
"Just because these systems are in the car doesn't mean it's a good idea to use them while you are driving," says University of Utah psychology professor David Strayer, senior author of the two new studies. "They are very distracting, very error prone and very frustrating to use. Far too many people are dying because of distraction on the roadway, and putting another source of distraction at the fingertips of drivers is not a good idea. It's better not to use them when you are driving."
(Score: 5, Insightful) by lentilla on Monday October 26 2015, @04:45AM
I'm sorry, but when I'm stopped at a red light it doesn't really matter what I do.
Brother, you are profoundly mistaken.
Leaving aside the study we are discussing (which finds significant and continued distraction after interacting with infotainment systems), here is an incomplete list of reasons why it very much matters what you do when stopped at a red light:
Additionally, I have observed two behaviours very common to those that aren't paying attention:
Humans are not computers. We do not have complete situational awareness. If you choose to pilot a machine weighing more than a tonne and capable of maiming or killing someone in an instant, it is your responsibility to pay attention 100% of the time. There are no excuses.
If it takes you that long I suggest you learn to use the bus system.
No. It is you that must take the bus.
IMHO, that real hazard is farking with the buttons and dials on modern cars.
Thankfully, I can agree with you on that part. A radio with a knob works rather well.
Please don't be a distracted driver - no matter how awesome you are. Even if you are awesome, many are not - and we don't want to encourage them, do we? I realise that it's inconvenient. It is; however; the price we pay for the convenience of driving a motor vehicle. Like you say, there's always the bus.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by frojack on Monday October 26 2015, @05:53AM
The study induced as much distraction as it tried to measure.
Equipment festooned all over the windshield, dash, and console, creepy dudes breathing down the drivers neck from the back seat, and cameras waving around on plastic pipes. Really?
You over state your case.
No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Monday October 26 2015, @08:43AM
Man, that is a much better post than my own. Unfortunately, the average distracted driver won't bother to read or heed either of our posts. Like GP, they'll just ASSume that they are the exception to the rule.
(Score: 2) by Snotnose on Monday October 26 2015, @02:24PM
I already do all that automatically when the light turns green. I'm not one of those idiots that focuses only on the light, when it goes green they act like they're at the drag strip. Light turns green I look both ways so I avoid the idiots pushing the yellow, avoid the slow pedestrians, etc.
A neat trick. Usually you can see the light on the cross street. When it goes yellow is a good time to get a head start into green light mode.
When the dust settled America realized it was saved by a porn star.