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The Dangers Of Multitasking While Driving

Our lives are busier today than at any other point in recent history. Our jobs take the majority of our waking hours while errands, family, and miscellaneous chores siphon the rest. As a result, millions of people are trying to fit more tasks into shorter amounts of time. And they’re doing it while driving.

You’ve probably witnessed motorists doing their makeup, shaving, and even reading the newspaper while sitting behind the wheel. It’s one thing to do it at a traffic light; it’s an entirely different ballgame to read the business paper while cruising on the highway at 70 mph. Multitasking while operating a vehicle has become a major problem with deadly consequences.

Today, I’m going to describe the most common tasks that drivers perform on the road. We’ll also discuss the uncomfortable position that automakers occupy and what they’re doing to curb the problem.

Common Tasks While Driving

Though more and more states are passing laws against their use, drivers continue to use their cell phones on the road. Other common tasks include texting, drinking, eating, applying cosmetics, and reading. In fact, a study conducted by Nationwide Insurance a couple of years ago found that 4 out of 5 drivers considered themselves habitual multitaskers. Even more alarming, the study found that most motorists openly admitted that their tendency to multitask while driving wasn’t affected by bad weather.

A Rock And A Hard Place

Automakers are caught in the middle. To remain competitive in their market, they’re forced to design cars with features that offer increased levels of flexibility and convenience. At the same time, they’re intensely focused on producing vehicles that offer more safety.

In a recent article, I described a new automotive technology that transforms your vehicle into a rolling Wi-Fi hotspot. That type of feature can’t help but encourage drivers to further divert their attention from the road. Plus, new features installed in car audio systems, air controls, and entertainment options present even more distractions.

An Ongoing Challenge For Automakers

While car manufacturers are quick to point out that their survival depends upon delivering features that customers want, they’re trying to limit the dangers presented by multitasking. For example, GPS navigation units are being installed high enough so that drivers aren’t forced to lower their heads in order to use them. Also, more vehicles are being designed today with audio system controls installed directly within the steering wheel.

The trend of multitasking while driving isn’t subsiding. In fact, most studies suggest that the younger generation of drivers are more likely to multitask behind the wheel than their parents. For automakers, that presents a major challenge. They must continue to provide their customers with added convenience while managing the associated dangers of that convenience.

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