NY Times Measures How Reaction Time is Affected by Texting While Driving

http://www.nytimes.com//interactive/2009/07/19/technology/20090719-driving-game.html

by NathanKP • 17 years ago

8 10 17 years ago

NathanKP4• 17 years ago

The results after you complete the game are very interesting indeed. I didn't realize how much texting really effected response time and seeing my own personal results in a graph was very enlightening.

coglethorpe2• 17 years ago

Well, there goes my startup idea for converting a steering wheel to a 6 button keypad. Seriously, it was hard enough to "steer" without even looking at the smartphone they had.

NathanKP4• 17 years ago

So sorry to ruin your idea. But I guess its better in the long run.

stcredzero• 17 years ago

I think there is a startup opportunity for apps that will send a text message at the press of a single button. For example, one that sends an ETA message when you press a button. (Use historical data and location services to dymanically compose an accurate message.)

coglethorpe2• 17 years ago

Maybe something that can use GPS in your car combined with traffic data to let the folks at home know when you are expected to arrive.

GiraffeNecktie• 17 years ago

Didn't seem to have much basis in reality. I'm not typically changing lanes every 1.5 seconds. Having said that I'd never text while driving.

NathanKP4• 17 years ago

I agree. However, it definitely reflects multi-tasking in a quite realistic manner.

Goladus• 17 years ago

I don't think this is a realistic example and it especially does not draw any attention to the reasons why people think they can get away with texting. The real nature of texting while driving is that you perceive a specific period of time during which it will be safe to accomplish a very familiar, tactile task. You text during the times you perceive safety (for example, at a stoplight) and focus on driving otherwise, performing only the simplest of phone tasks when driving is more difficult. The danger is as much that those predictions about the road fail and you're not as good at the phone tasks as you think, than the raw inability to multitask.

This test was unrealistic because the road challenges were almost entirely unpredictable, and because using the phone involved learning something new (I can in fact accomplish a number of tasks on my phone without even looking at the display). The phone in the example required a great deal more attention than I have to give to a typical text message.

mtholking• 17 years ago

here is a much more effective ad on why you shouldn't text while driving

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0LCmStIw9E

NathanKP4• 17 years ago

Ugh...

That is tremendously bloody, definitely not to my taste. But it definitely dramatically shows why you shouldn't text while driving.

NY Times Measures How Reaction Time is Affected by Texting While Driving

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