To many people, the term “distracted driving” conjures up an image of a person holding a phone to make or receive a call or send or receive a text message while driving a vehicle. Certainly, these actions would constitute significant distractions for drivers, but they are far from the only actions that expose people to serious risks. Even when operating technology in a hands-free mode, a driver may be notably distracted.
The AAA Exchange indicates that it is important for people to realize that mental and visual distractions can be extremely dangerous, and that hands-free operation does not equate to safe operation. Infotainment systems in vehicles are today quite popular, but the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety evaluated 40 such systems and found that none met their recommendations for safety.
AAA’s guidance shows only systems that place a low demand on drivers are safe. Of the 40 tested, the best result was a moderate demand on drivers. Eleven systems fell into this category. The majority of systems – a total of 17 – tested required a very high level of demand from drivers. The remaining 12 systems were rated as placing a high level of demand on drivers. The act of entering a destination for directional assistance was identified as the single most distracting action.
If you would like to learn more about how to get the help you deserve after you or someone in your family have been involved in a crash caused by a distracted driver, please feel free to visit the motor vehicle accident compensation page of our Ohio personal injury website.
