Who’s at the Wheel? Technology Causing Distracted Driving and Other Stories of Multi-Tasking
Despite the devotion to multitasking, recent reports claim that humans function better if they don’t multi-task. That is proven often with some of the things that happen when people get behind the wheel of a car.
Paying Attention to the Rules of the Road
Most states have rules against driving distracted, not to mention driving drunk.
In the Texas Driver’s Handbook, a distraction is defined as “anything that takes the driver’s attention from the driving task.” Distractions are more common than people think. And focusing on more than one thing — multitasking — actually has a negative effect on a person’s performance.
One Thing at a Time
Although driving for experienced drivers can be called “unconscious competent,” considering their mastery as having some measure of control, drivers took longer to reach their destinations if they used cell phones.
Since our brains really handle multitasking by “task switching,” says author Guy Winch in his book, we really only have a finite amount of attention we can devote to a task and be productive.[1]
The Appeal of Multitasking With Apps
People describe multitaskers with a sense of awe at all they accomplish. The converse is that doing only one thing at a time is almost seen as though someone is a slacker. Why can’t you compile your household shopping list while you help your child with their homework? Talking with someone while you text is seen as normal. So, driving and doing something else is seen as a commonplace multitasking action.
Trouble Behind the Wheel
Statistics bear out the idea that young drivers cause much of the damage. Drivers in their 20s are 24 percent of drivers in all fatal crashes, but are 27 percent of the distracted drivers, and 33 percent of the distracted drivers that were using cell phones in fatal crashes.[2]
Just such a crash involved a 22-year-old male who was using his Apple iPhone to FaceTime while driving.[3] He lost control of his car, killing a five-year-old and injuring her father.
A Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) survey claims that sending or receiving a text takes a driver’s eyes off the road for an average of 4.6 seconds, the equivalent of driving blind at 55-mph for the length of an entire football field.[5] That is long enough to do damage on a road and potentially put other drivers and yourself at risk for danger.
Staying Tech-Free and Distraction-Free
Texting, talking, and otherwise multitasking on cell phones is rampant while driving. Some apps have added in standard safety features that disable features while the user is traveling over a certain speed limit in order to try to alleviate the dangers. However, the best way to stay safe while driving is simply to put the phone away and pull over if you need to send a text or answer a call.
Taking your eyes off the road, even for a second, can result in an accident. Playing the odds on when someone does take their eyes off the road is a gamble. All too often people take the gamble. Sometimes they lose and when they do, they often lose a life too.
The many accidents that occur in rush hour traffic show that, despite most drivers knowing the route they take to work every day, they choose to engage in distracted driving that causes those accidents. Illogical? Yes, Mr. Spock would agree.
Featured photo credit: shutterstock via shutterstock.com
Reference
| [1] | ^ | Health: 12 Reasons to Stop Multitasking Now! |
| [2] | ^ | Stop Texts Stop Wrecks: Driving Facts |
| [3] | ^ | Thomas J Henry Law: Lawsuit Filed Against Apple In Fatal FaceTime Crash |
| [4] | ^ | Stop Texts Stop Wrecks: Driving Facts |
| [5] | ^ | Stop Texts Stop Wrecks: Driving Facts |
The post Who’s at the Wheel? Technology Causing Distracted Driving and Other Stories of Multi-Tasking appeared first on Lifehack.
from Lifehack http://ift.tt/2kRJ5jl
via IFTTT