TECHNOLOGY - Drivers More Destracted

Duh... It is the lack of attention to driving!  It does not matter if it's a phone call, the burger you're eating, a heated argument with a passenger.

"Why hands-free tech doesn’t necessarily make driving safer" PBS NewsHour 10/7/2014

Excerpt

GWEN IFILL (NewsHour):  In the age of the mobile phones and smart devices, today’s drivers are increasingly tempted to take their hands off the wheel and their eyes off the road.

Many of us take comfort in newer hands-free technology that allows us to stay connected, but with fewer hand and eye movements.  But a new study out today finds talking, texting and changing the radio dial even without using your hands may not necessarily make driving any safer.

Such distractions, in fact, may be make the process of getting from here to there more dangerous.

The study was conducted by AAA and the University of Utah.

Jake Nelson is the director of traffic safety advocacy and research for AAA, and he joins me now.

So, how distracted are we, Jake Nelson?

JAKE NELSON, Director of Traffic Safety Advocacy and Research, AAA:  It’s a lot worse than we thought.

GWEN IFILL:  Yes.

JAKE NELSON:  It’s really important to remember that the auto industry has done a great job at helping to mitigate manual and visual forms of distracted driving by allowing motorists to keep their hands on the wheel and their eyes on the road.

Our concern at AAA is that there is the third leg of the stool here, which is the mental or cognitive piece, that also needs to be addressed.

GWEN IFILL:  And so technology may be hurting more than it’s helping?

JAKE NELSON:  Well, certainly, from a mental standpoint, using voice commands to do things like tune the radio and to send and receive text messages and the latter are actually more distracting than — from a mental standpoint than using your handheld device.