Hands-free technology risky and distracting to drivers: study

Using hands-free devices to talk, text or send e-mails while driving is distracting and risky, warns a new study which found that voice-activated in-car technologies dangerously undermine driver attention.
Hands-free technologies might make it easier for motorists to text, talk on the phone, or even use Facebook while they drive but dangerous mental distractions exist even when drivers keep their hands on the wheel and their eyes on the road, researchers found.
"Our research shows that hands-free is not risk-free," said University of Utah psychology Professor David Strayer, lead author of the study, which he conducted for the foundation arm of the nonprofit AAA, formerly known as the American Automobile Association.

"These new, speech-based technologies in the car can overload the driver's attention and impair their ability to drive safely," said Strayer.
"An unintended consequence of trying to make driving safer - by moving to speech-to-text, in-vehicle systems - may actually overload the driver and make them less safe," he said.
The research found that as mental workload and distractions increase, reaction time slows, brain function is compromised, drivers scan the road less and miss visual cues, potentially resulting in drivers not seeing items right in front of them including stop signs and pedestrians.

Researchers used the results to rate the levels of mental distraction drivers experienced while performing each task.

Similar to the Saffir-Simpson scale used for hurricanes, the levels of mental distraction were represented on a scale: Tasks such as listening to the radio ranked as a category '1' level of distraction or a minimal risk.
Talking on a cell-phone, both handheld and hands-free, resulted in a '2' or a moderate risk.
Listening and responding to in-vehicle, voice-activated email features increased mental workload and distraction levels of the drivers to a '3' rating or one of extensive risk, the study found.