Distracted Driving

Mental Distractions Behind the Wheel Are Real and Dangerous

The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety partnered with researchers at the University of Utah to conduct groundbreaking research on mental distraction, also known as cognitive distraction, demonstrating that hands-free technologies in the car dangerously divert motorist attention.

MENTAL DISTRACTION – WHAT WE KNOW
Mental distractions dangerously affect drivers behind the wheel.  Just because a driver’s eyes are on the road and hands are on the wheel does not mean they are safe – hands-free is not risk-free.

MENTAL DISTRACTION – WHAT IT MEANS
Attention is key to safe driving, yet many technologies cause drivers to lose focus of the road ahead. Hands-free features, increasingly common in new vehicles, create mental distractions that unintentionally provide motorists with a false sense of security about their safety behind the wheel.

MENTAL DISTRACTION – WHAT IS AAA DOING
AAA is dedicated to promoting road safety and reducing driver distraction through research, public education and collaboration with automakers to reduce the impact of mental distraction.

Additional Resources

• Read the study Measuring Cognitive Distraction in the Automobile  by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety
• Read AAA’s News Release on Mental Distraction Study
• Read AAA’s Factsheet on Mental Distraction Study and Summary of Research to Date on Distracted Driving