Cell-Phone Induced Driver Distraction

Cell-Phone Induced Driver Distraction In the study conducted by David L. Strayer and Frank A. Drews the researchers examined the effects of operating hands free devices mainly cell phones for this study, while performing driving tasks in order to determine just how much the devices can divert or distract the operator of the vehicle during their use. The authors conducted four different experimental studies with various scenarios as a means to pinpoint and observe whether an individual can operate a vehicle and still be able to concentrate their attention to the task at hand. The reason the study was performed was because earlier data in another study suggested that drivers had a slower reaction time while operating hands free devices and this also made the driver more susceptible to running traffic lights. However, in the study it was
concluded that listening to talk radio or audio books did not have impairment on driving abilities thus the main purpose of the article was to obtain sufficient evidence and data to support the hypothesis stating that the use of cell phones and other hands free devices drastically impair driving abilities.
In each of the four studies performed the experimenters placed computerized software and used a driving simulator equipped with vehicle dynamics, traffic scenarios and realistic road and surface conditions. The studies also had dual task conditions to such has having conversations on the phone with another individual to help further prove the hypothesis. In the first study the researchers focused on the conditionality probability of participants recognizing objects that they had been fixated on while driving. In this first study Strayer and Drews concluded that the data collected was consistent with the hypothesis reiterating the fact that cell phone conversations and other hands free devices disrupts performance. Continuously in the second study the researchers focused on the extent of engaging in cell phone conversations during
different driving scenarios. Strayer and Drews found that when participants looked at an object for a period of time there was a significant difference in recognition memory. In the third study the focus was on inattention blindness hypothesis of brain activity given by events in the driving environment. The data collected by Strayer and Drews suggested that drivers on a cell phone will be less able to react with swiftness in situations that demand it because of diverted attention. In the fourth and final study Strayer and Drews contrasted two modes of conversations while driving; one mode was having the individual having a conversation with a friend over the phone and in the second mode the driver had a conversation with a friend riding in the passenger. The hypothesis for this particular study was that when the two conversations would be different because the passenger would help adjust their conversations based on how difficult the driving conditions were. The results revealed that 88% of drivers conversing with a passenger completed the navigating tasks, and in contrast 50% of the drivers talking on the phone failed to navigate these tasks correctly. This research article focused on the experiments performed by David L. Strayer and Frank A. Drews in order to determine the effects of hands free cell phone conversations on simulated driving machines while performing single and dual tasks. The researchers concluded that using these devices are liable to induce drivers to react slower at situations but also be at a greater risk of highly distracted while operating these devices.