The Appeal of Hands-Free
Talking on a handheld cellular device while driving has been banned in 11 states, and texting on one has been banned in 41-for good reason! Common sense says that conducting a phone conversation or looking down at a phone to compose a text message while driving is a dangerous, and at times deadly, distraction. Many drivers, even those who live in states where talking or texting on a cell phone while driving is perfectly legal, have opted to use hands-free devices because they seem so much safer.
A hands-free cellular device enables its user to talk or write text messages verbally while keeping both hands safely on the wheel and both eyes on the road. A multi-tasker's dream, hands-free texting seems like the perfect example of a technological lifesaver, right?
Automakers seem to think so. Toyota and Ford, among others, are including "infotainment" systems, which feature hands-free messaging, in their newly manufactured models. Some nine million systems will be present in cars sold during this year alone, and that number is set to increase substantially in the years ahead.
A "Large" Distraction
Unfortunately, a recent study conducted by AAA has shown that hands-free voice messaging while driving is not necessarily any safer than using traditional handheld phones. It looks like, if anything, drivers should be wary of these hands-free systems because the illusion of increased safety can make them that much more dangerous.
The study involved drivers, most in in their 20s and 30s, with clean driving records. Participants took on a variety of tasks while in a lab, while driving in a simulator, and while actually driving in a real residential neighborhood. The tasks included listening to the radio, talking on a handheld phone, and verbally texting using hands-free technology. The study revealed that verbal, hands-free texting caused a "large" amount of mental distraction in the participants, while conducting a phone conversation or talking with a passenger created just "moderate/significant" distraction, and listening to music or audio books created only "small" distraction. Researchers did not simply base these outcomes on what participants told them; rather, they fitted the participants with special caps that measured their brainwave activity and reaction times. No amount of mental distraction while driving is desirable, especially a "large" amount!
Solutions
What's a busy person to do? Well, as tough as these options may seem, it's best to either pull over before you begin writing a text on a hands-free device, and stay pulled-over until you're done, or simply wait until you get to where you're going before attempting to communicate with someone other than the passengers in your vehicle. If these alternatives to talking while driving seem painfully inconvenient, especially if you consider that your car is outfitted with a sleek system designed to help you talk and text while driving, just remember that the so-called "necessity" for texting while behind the wheel is a relatively new one; for the majority of the years that cars have been in existence, most people have been perfectly content-and able to manage their busy lives-to drive them while doing little else besides listening to the radio.
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