In the United States, many drivers habitually pick up their phones when they hear a call ring through, a text notification ding, or other sounds designed to alert them to some potentially important communication. Federal and state officials know from yearly data that holding a phone to speak, check a screen or send a text is dangerous, which is why hands-free laws exist.
Yet, many traffic safety researchers and experts now question whether these changes decrease or increase risk. Is vehicle smartphone integration really a distracted-driving safety hero, as claimed by car and phone manufacturers in safety awareness campaigns?
The Impact of Distracted Driving
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), distracted driving caused 8% of all fatal reported crashes in 2023, or nine deaths per day and 3,275 fatalities that year. Distracted driving also caused 890 injuries per day and 324,819 injuries that year.
Per the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the three top forms of distracted driving are “visual, manual and cognitive.” When presented with a distraction from any source, a driver might look away from the road or remove their hands from the wheel. Worse, they might allow their mind to think about something other than driving responsibilities.
Per the NHTSA, a driver who looks away for merely 5 seconds while traveling at a speed of 55 mph, for example, essentially drove with their eyes completely closed from one end of a 360-foot American football field to another. Adjusting a car radio, applying makeup, drinking, eating, interacting on social media, talking on the phone, sending a text message, and using a navigation system are some of the top causes of distracted driving in the country. Data suggests that cell phone usage for various purposes is the most common type of distraction that causes crashes.
Why Are Phones So Dangerous?
As noted by the National Safety Council during the annual April Driving Awareness Month campaign, there is no safe way to drive and use a smartphone. Almost every state has outlawed texting and driving, some states such as Oklahoma, are working to pass laws that make using any handheld cellular device illegal when driving. Humans don’t actually have the ability to multitask perfectly without dividing their attention. For example, conversations are a form of engagement that requires a driver to divide their attention between the topic of the conversation and watching the road.
No one knows exactly how many drivers crash while using a smartphone in a held or hands-free scenario because there’s no way to accurately obtain data. Details about an accident are often only available from driver and witness statements. Drivers may forget important details while dealing with shock or purposely withhold that they crashed while using a phone to prevent severe penalties.
The Smartphone Smart System Problem
Many vehicle manufacturers now combine smartphone features with other smart system tools, which makes attempting to multitask while driving even more difficult and problematic. Before full smartphone integration, many vehicles were outfitted with useful trip features, such as on-screen and voice GPS navigation with visual maps, traffic condition and weather alerts, and pins for landmarks and other points of interest.
Data from driving simulations, police reports and other research shows that all of these features can cause distracted-driving crashes. Yet, consumer demand has prompted manufacturers to go to the multitasking extreme of providing as many voice command and touchscreen options as possible to a driver while they’re driving, including ordering from local grocery stores, pharmacies and restaurants; using email and text-messaging tools; and playing visual forms of entertainment.
State and federal officials are adamant that these features, although convenient, aren’t safe. They recommend that drivers never use smartphone tools or other similar options during travel unless a passenger is available who can take over the communication or they pull over to the side of the road as soon as they hear an alert. A driver should never perform any action that isn’t driving-related while their vehicle is in motion. If a driver is prone to impulsive phone usage, they should turn off these integrated features entirely.
