Residents in Georgia always look for new ways to improve driver safety. This includes cutting down on distractions on the road. Hands-free technology supposedly does exactly this. But how much of an impact do these helpful devices have on drivers?
Today we will look at the answer to this question. We will examine the areas hands-free tech excels in, as well as the areas that still need improvement.
Driver distraction in three categories
The National Safety Council looks at how hands-free tech impacts drivers. First, they have a warning for drivers. Hands-free tech is not a substitute for other safe driving behaviors. Hands-free tech cannot guarantee driver safety. But hands-free tech does have some benefits.
Driver distraction can break down into three separate categories. These include visual, physical and cognitive distractions. Hands-free tech sometimes helps drivers when it comes to visual and physical distractions. This means it keeps a drivers eyes on the road and their hands on the wheel. This aligns with what the name implies. “Hands-free” means you can use these devices without your hands.
Hands-free tech and cognitive distraction
But this only addresses two of the three main driver distractions. Cognitive distraction makes up a large chunk of distracted driving risks. These distractions include anything that takes your mind off of the task at hand. Unfortunately, hands-free devices enables the use of technology like phones. Even using a GPS navigation system counts as mental distraction.
Because of these factors, hands-free devices cannot protect a driver’s safety. Drivers relying on hands-free tech should keep this awareness in mind. Other drivers should also understand the risks present.
