Texas A&M University’s Transportation Research Institute released a new study which shows that even when a driver uses voice-activated technology to send a text message they are just as distracted as if they sent a text in a traditional way.
What was perhaps most interesting about their study was the fact that all the drivers they tested, 43 in all, said they actually felt safer using the voice activated technology, despite the fact the study showed no improvement in their reaction time whatsoever.
Repeated studies by the American Medical Association, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the National Institutes of Health have shown that distracted driving is a real danger. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has shown that distracted driving is now responsible for more traffic fatalities than any other unsafe behavior behind the wheel, including drunk driving.
Researchers have looked at a variety of tools meant to relieve some of the distractions which tempt drivers behind the wheel. Some devices actually block signals from being received or sent to a wireless device while the vehicle is in motion, but these devices also prevent sometimes important phone calls which may be answered somewhat safely with a hands-free device. And not all distractions are related to the use of electronic devices. Something as simple as changing a radio station or turning to look at a passenger in the backseat can be enough of a distraction to cause a serious, if not fatal, collision.
Voice activated texting systems were meant to offer a viable solution to the texting while driving dilemma, but following the recent study at Texas A&M University it seems unlikely that these systems will be in much demand, and may even be banned outright by lawmakers.
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