Far from saying that distractions are always good while behind the wheel, the study conducted by the University of Kansas says that, at times, distractions can be used to save lives. More precisely, when faced with a choice between distraction and monotony, distraction is a definite winner.
After placing 45 participants in a simulator for 30 minutes and asking them to drive while talking on the phone, researchers Paul Atchley and Mark Chan found that towards the end of a long, boring drive, talking on the phone might be just the thing a driver needs to keep the attention levels high.
According to Science Daily, citing a Human Factors report, the drivers who were talking on the phone during the test were found to be more likely to stay in their lane and, at the same time, less likely to break the law.
“Although these results suggest improvements in driving performance, there is still a degree of risk involved,” the authors of the study says.
At the end of it all, we found our selves a bit confused. Are we to trust the government casualty reports for the past years, backed by strong research and data, or the test conducted by the two researchers on 45 drivers? Keep in mind that the study points to distraction being a good thing “at times” and answer the question in the comment box below.
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