Radios, driver distraction

There is very httle evidence linking radio or CD players to crashes, and no known research evidence linking rrse of these devices to increased crash risk. Stutts et al. (2001) found that, of the crashes examined, 8.3 percent were the result of the driver being distracted by some everrt, object or activity inside or outside the vehicle, and 11.4 per cent of these crashes occrrrred when the driver was adjirsting the radio, audiocassette or CD player. No individiral data was reported for radio rrse. 

A grave problem that developed in New Hampshire... now has all the motor-vehicle commissioners of the eastern states in a wax. It s whether radios should be allowed on cars. Some states don t want to permit them at all - say they distract the driver and disturb the peace... The commissioner (of Massachusetts) thinks the things should be shut off while you are driving... The whole problem is getting very complex, but the upshot is diat you ll probably be allowed to take your radio anywhere, with possibly some restriction on the times when you can play it" (Nicholas Trott in 1930, as cited by Goodman et a ., 1997)... 

However, the distraction of music may also have a silver lining. Wiesenthal et al. (2003) foimd that drivers (when they were not in a hurry or under time stress) were less likely to express mild aggressive driving behaviors dien they listened to music on their way to and from school or work than when diey were not allowed to turn their radio on. 

The issue of distraction is much more complicated than most lawmakers and law enforcement agencies are ready to acknowledge. By simply disallowing specific sources of distracters -such as cell phones - we have no assurance that drivers will not seek other sources of distraction. And other sources do abound. Also, banning the use of many of these devices -especially the ones that also benefit some aspects of the driving task, such as navigation systems - may be doomed to fail. This was the case when car radios were introduced in the 1930 s. 

At first, you were probably very careful to follow all the safe procedures you learned. Both hands on the wheel—the nine o clock and three o clock positions. Both eyes on the road at all times. You always used your turn signal always stopped when traffic lights turned yellow. If a safety belt was in the car, you used it. Conversations with passengers were avoided, as well as distractions from a radio or cassette tape. This was all right and proper, of course, because driving is a relatively complex and risky task, requiring the driver s undivided attenhon. This time human nature was on the safe side. 

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