Voice-Activated Technology Causes Distracted Driving

By Thomas Greer | January 25, 2015

The American Automobile Association, or AAA , recently released a study that concluded that hands-free, voice-activated technology is as distracting to drivers as cell phones.

The study involved volunteers who drove vehicles on a closed course while fitted with monitors that measured their brain activity when exposed to a variety of distractions.

The level of distraction on the brain was assigned to Categories 1 through 3, with Category 3 being the most distracting. Listening to music was found to be the least distracting activity. Talking on the cell phone was assigned to Category 2. Somewhat surprising, researchers deemed responding to voice-activated software a Category 3 distraction.

Voice-activated technology is safe since it enables drivers to keep their eyes on the road, right? No, say Texas A&M researchers who recently determined that voice-activated texting was no safer than manual texting.

In that study, driver reaction times were twice as slow and drivers’ eyes were on the road much less often, no matter which texting methods were used. Some participants reported feeling safer using voice texting than when manually texting, but many also reported feeling inclined to look at the screen to see if the device heard them correctly.

The bottom line is this. Driving is not a mindless activity. Anything that takes a driver’s concentration away from driving is a potential distraction.

If you have been injured in a crash in Tennessee caused by a distracted driver, call us today toll-free at 901-680-9777.

Posted in Auto Accidents, Library