We’ve all seen “that guy.” You know, the one who is all over the road - choosing a song on his iPod, texting, reading a map - or maybe even all three at once. There has always been a belief that driving while distracted can effect concentration, but now there is proof, thanks to a recent study coming out of the University of Central Florida Psychology Department.

“The study concluded that the person’s workload on the brain is increased exponentially when distracted, thus taking away the percentage of concentration available from driving,” says Adrian Quevedo, co-principal investigator of the study.

To reach this conclusion, researchers set up an advanced study using a driving simulator located on the UCF campus. The experiment specifically measured the effects of an iPod device on driver distraction during several runs on a simulated road with high and low traffic conditions. “Driving errors were measured by lane deviations, crossing the median and crashes,” says Daniella Jaramillo, UCF undergraduate student and co-principal investigator of the study. “Physiological measures were also recorded during the driving phases to measure the participant’s level of arousal.”

Basically, the researchers hypothesized that during the iPod trial, participant’s brains would be more taxed due to the distraction. This study in particular is unique because it was the first to use a biological and behavioral assessment method to determine effects on driving.

“Although some people may rely on their perceived ability to multitask, it has been found that when engaged in secondary activities while driving there is competition for cognitive resources,” says Jaramillo. By using an electroencephalogram (EEG) machine in conjunction with the driving simulator, they were able to prove that errors increased as the brain’s ability to focus on one task decreased.

The results will potentially have major implications relating to driving behavior, workload analyses, state regulations and legislative policies regarding the use of in-vehicle devices.

“We’ve also found that hands-free devices do not make a difference on driver behavior,” says Dr. Mustapha Mouloua, the principal investigator and faculty supervisor of the study. “It’s not a matter of what you’re holding, but what your brain is engaged in.”

As far as calling in-vehicle devices “dangerous,” the research is inconclusive, as dangerous is an objective term. “The truth is when you start adding different tasks while driving, the probability of something happening increases that much more, that we can say with relative certainty,” says Quevedo.

However, the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) calls any distractions dangerous without a doubt. “Anything that causes a distraction to the driver of a vehicle is dangerous, whether it’s putting on makeup, playing with a phone or eating a hamburger,” says Captain Mark Welch, chief of public affairs with FHP. “These are things that keep your attention off the roadway and can lead to catastrophic results.”

When legislation is concerned, both parties are in agreement that these devices cannot be banned, especially when useful to drivers. “Regulation is probably the best solution,” says Mouloua. “Perhaps a technology is in order where the device knows your position or movement on the road and it will warn you or shut down entirely if being used improperly.”

Whatever the solution is, the end result should always be a safer driving environment, according to Welch. “We’re supportive of any legislation or technology that might increase the safety of our citizens and our patrolmen,” he says.

Still, Welch knows that the decision on what devices to use, when to turn them on and how to use them will always rest with whoever is behind the wheel. “It all comes back to the driver,” he says. “It’s their responsibility to pay attention to what they’re doing and make sure they get from one point to another in a safe fashion.”

Article by Corey Gehrold