Using hands-free technology while driving no safer than texting

March 13, 2013

Over the past decade, cell phones have become essential tools for people in nearly every walk of life. Although these devices offer many advantages, they have also contributed to the emergence of distracted driving as a threat on our nation's highways.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 3,092 people were killed and an additional 419,000 were injured in motor vehicle crashes involving distracted drivers in 2010, the last year for which statistics are available. Overall, distracted driver related car crashes accounted for approximately 18 percent of all motor vehicle accidents that year.

In part to alleviate the dangers presented by cell phone use while driving, phone manufacturers and automakers have begun to develop hands-free systems that allow drivers to talk, text and send emails all without taking their hands off the wheel and their eyes from the road. Initially, safety advocates and lawmakers supported the use of these devices because they appeared to offer a safer, more responsible alternative to cell phone use while driving. Unfortunately, research indicates that these hands-free systems are, in effect, no safer than texting.

Last year, researchers at the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute published the findings of a study aimed at determining whether hands-free technologies offered an safety benefits. Researchers evaluated the performance of 500 drivers on a closed course, some of whom used their phones to text and email while driving, some of whom used hands-free devices. Predictably, the drivers using their cell phones to text performed poorly on the course. They took longer glances from the roadway and steered their vehicles poorly, as compared to baseline driving performance.

Surprisingly, drivers using hands-free devices to compose and send texts and emails performed just as poorly as drivers using their cell phones. Researchers discovered that the mental energy needed to compose a short message - even one as simple as "I'm running late" - was significant enough to impact the drivers' ability to control their vehicles.

Even though the use of hands-free devices may seem like a good idea, it does not appear to be any safer than using a cell phone.

A personal injury attorney can help

If you or someone you love has been injured in a motor vehicle accident due to the negligence of a distracted driver, contact an experienced personal injury attorney. A knowledgeable personal injury lawyer can assess your case and help you get the fair and adequate compensation you deserve for medical bills, lost wages and pain and suffering. For more information about what a personal injury attorney can do for you, contact a lawyer today.

Article provided by Piering Law Firm
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