Drivers using voice-controlled systems take their eyes off the road more than expected, safety researchers have found. The total "glance time" for some interactive tasks appeared to exceed the federal guidelines for visual-manual interactions by drivers. The MIT study delivered a mix of good and bad news: "Both positive features and concerns associated with the use of the voice interface were identified." Age seemed to be linked with the challenges of using these interactive dashboard systems: The results suggested that older drivers tended to be more distracted than younger subjects, … [Read more...]
U.S. drivers the most distracted
March 15, 2013 by Leave a Comment
U.S. drivers are far more likely than Europeans to drive while distracted by wireless communications devices such as cell phones, a trans-Atlantic study found. Almost 70 percent of U.S. drivers said they'd used a cell phone in the past 30 days, compared with 21 percent in the United Kingdom. The closest nation to the U.S. in cell phone & driving numbers was Portugal, with 60 percent of drivers admitting to the practice. Meanwhile, a new "teens and technology" survey finds that teens who own smartphones (such as the iPhone) access the Internet that way about half of the time, suggesting … [Read more...]
Teen driver deaths reported up 19%
February 27, 2013 by 4 Comments
Teenage driver deaths are up 19 percent, a new study shows, suggesting that the fatality count for 16- and 17-year old drivers will increase for the second straight year. The Governors Highway Safety Association statistics compared the first halves of 2011 and 2012. (Annual accident reports typically lag well behind the end of the year.) The group said that if final data continued the trend, then 2012 would follow 2011 in posting an increase in teen driver deaths. Before 2011, there were eight straight years of decreases. The GHSA did not indicate distracted driving was a suspect in the … [Read more...]
6 in 10 teens say they text, drive
April 10, 2012 by 3 Comments
Teenagers know all about the dangers of texting and driving, but most of them do it anyway. Those who don't probably have frequent talks with their parents about safety. That's the takeaway from a phone survey of 652 teens taken by Harris Interactive. Almost six in 10 teenagers with driver's licenses surveyed admitted to texting & driving. The idea that texting behind the wheel is the new drunken driving didn't find much support with the kids. Of the 14- to 17-year-olds who have a license or plan to get one (almost all of the teens), 63 percent strongly agree they will get into an … [Read more...]
Calif. safety enemy No. 1: cell phones
December 5, 2011 by 3 Comments
Cell phone use while driving has become the No. 1 safety problem on California roads and highways, a new survey of state motorists says. Close behind came texting while driving. Combined, cell phoning and text messaging drew almost 40 percent of the responses. Both problems individually outweighed last year's main concern, "speeding and aggressive driving," according to the second-annual survey by the California Office of Traffic Safety. Texting soared in mentions as the biggest danger, going from last year's 2 percent to 18 percent. When asked to name the most serious distraction for … [Read more...]
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