Voice Apps Can Lead to Distracted Driving
A new study by AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety and the 
University of Utah shows that voice-activated apps may not be as safe behind the wheel as once thought. You may be putting yourself and others in danger when apps are used. This continues to raise the question, just because you can talk in your car, should you.
“Even though your car may be configured to support social media, texting and phone calls, it doesn’t mean it is safe to do so,” says University of Utah psychology professor and study leader David Strayer. “The primary task should be driving. Things that take your attention away make you a poor driver and make the roads less safe.”
It turns out that drivers can still be distracted by voice-activated smartphones and dashboard infotainment systems. The study found that the technology and systems used to help keep attention on ones driving and the roadway are often error-prone or complex that they require more concentration from drivers rather than less.
Click here for AAA data and results. Click here for University of Utah data and results.
AAA hopes the research can serve as guidance to manufacturers who increasingly market hands-free systems as safety features. According to AAA, the good news for consumers is that it is possible to design hands-free technologies that are less cognitively distracting, according to the research. They recommend minimizing cognitive distractions by limiting the use of most voice-based technologies.
