Many Mississippi drivers rely on technology in their car. Some listen to podcasts on long commutes. Others need GPS systems to navigate them and tell them where they need to go. These days, plenty of companies have introduced hands-free technology. These products supposedly improve driver safety.
But how safe is hands-free technology in reality? Will other drivers using this tech improve your own safety?
Three types of driver distraction
The National Safety Council believes that hands-free tech cannot provide drivers guaranteed safety. The primary reason is because it does not target every area of distraction. Driver distractions fall into three primary categories. These are visual, physical and cognitive distractions.
Hands-free tech provides relief from two of these three distractions. It allows you to keep your hands on the wheel and your eyes on the road. This means there is a reduction in visual and physical distractions.
Cognitive driver distraction and driver safety
But hands-free tech cannot provide relief from cognitive distraction. In fact, it is a cognitive distraction itself. Cognitive distractions include anything that take a driver’s mind off the road. This includes listening to music, holding conversations or adjusting the temperature. Hands-free tech allows you to operate devices without your hands. But you still need the mental space to focus on speaking or listening.
On top of that, studies show cognitive distractions are among the most dangerous. Studies show that drivers stay distracted even after the distraction ends. Because of this, hands-free tech companies cannot guarantee driver safety. You cannot guarantee your own safety if you use this tech. Other drivers cannot guarantee your safety if they use it, either.
