Animated infographic shows risks of using Infotainment dashboards while driving

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Apr 22, 2015, 03:10 ET

ITASCA, Ill., April 22, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Eighty percent of U.S. drivers believe hands-free devices must be safe if built into their vehicles, according to the National Safety Council. That is just not true.

More than 30 studies show that using hands-free provides drivers no safety benefit because your mind is distracted from the task of driving. The stick shift, a driving-related task, has been around for decades. So this is not about keeping two hands on the wheel. This is about keeping your eyes and mind focused on the road.

The mission of the National Safety Council is to save lives by preventing injuries and deaths at work, in homes and communities and on the road through leadership, research, education and advocacy.

Just because your vehicle comes equipped with technology that allows you to talk hands-free doesn't mean it's safe to use while driving. Programming directions and music, speech-to-text talking, and talking hands-free with an earpiece are not related to the task of driving and cause distractions.

With driver error being a leading cause of crashes, drivers should not engage in non-driving activities.

The Texas A&M Transportation Institute has concluded that drivers who use dashboard speech-to-text systems still need to look away from the road and have slower reaction times. All technology development should focus exclusively on advancing systems that prevent crashes, not those that may increase them.

For more reasons on why using hands-free is not risk free, check out the animated infographic, Avoid the dash to the dashboard, developed by the National Safety Council.

About the National Safety Council
Founded in 1913 and chartered by Congress, the National Safety Council, nsc.org, is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to save lives by preventing injuries and deaths at work, in homes and communities, and on the road through leadership, research, education and advocacy. NSC advances this mission by partnering with businesses, government agencies, elected officials and the public in areas where we can make the most impact – distracted driving, teen driving, workplace safety, prescription drug overdoses and Safe Communities.

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SOURCE National Safety Council