Hands Free is Not Risk Free

April is Distracting Driving Awareness Month

Do you think using a hands-free device – whether it’s an earpiece or a dashboard infotainment system – is the safe way to drive and talk on the phone?

Eighty percent of American drivers believe hands-free devices are safer than using a handheld phone. But that is just not the case. More than 30 studies show hands-free devices are no safer because the brain remains distracted by the conversation. When talking on a cell phone, drivers can miss seeing up to half of what’s around them, such as traffic lights, stop signs and pedestrians.​

The Hands Free Myth

More than 30 studies show that using hands-free systems provide drivers no safety benefit. Even with both hands on the wheel and your eyes on the road, your mind is distracted from the task of driving. Think about it, people have been driving stick shift for decades – the issue is not about keeping two hands on the wheel.  The National Safety Council (NSC) poll also found that 53 percent of respondents believe hands-free devices must be safe to use if they are built into vehicles.  Add to that many state laws requiring people to use hands-free, and it’s no wonder there’s confusion.

The results are in:

1. Hands-free features in dashboards actually increase mental distraction*
2. Using voice-to-text is more distracting than typing texts while driving**
3. Drivers who text with their hands or voice (using speech-to-text systems) keep their eyes on the road less often and have reaction times twice as slow**

 

Take the Focused Driver Challenge and pledge to drive cell free.

 

Read More – National Safety Council