Portland, Ore. – 27 seconds: that’s how long potentially unsafe mental distractions can persist after a driver dials, changes music or sends a text using voice commands on a voice-activated system, 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 AAA 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, long enough for a driver to travel the length of nearly three football fields when moving at just 25 mph.
“When you’re using a voice-activated system when there’s a lull in traffic or you’re stopped at a red light, the mental distractions can persist and impact your ability to drive safely, even after the light turns green and you stop interacting with the system,” says Marie Dodds, Public Affairs Director for AAA Oregon/Idaho.
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.
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