Technology in Vehicles Has Become A Distraction to Driving

February 03, 2022, Kitchener, Ontario

Posted by: Robert Deutschmann, Personal Injury Lawyer

Anyone who has ‘upgraded’ their vehicle in the past 10 years has seen an incredible shift in dashboard appearance as a result of the amount of onboard technology now being used in cars. It seems that although using a handheld device like a phone is considered too dangerous while driving, the distractions offered by the endless screens and embedded menus that need to be navigated to change auto temperatures or radio stations are not.

Safety advocates, and many consumers, are now beginning to complain about how the distractions in the onboard tech have indeed become a safety issue.

Between having your real-time navigation system on, while the car phone sounds and an incoming text appears on the screen, driving seems to fall to the bottom of the ‘attention’ list. The vibrating steering wheel and auto braking of the car may serve to notify the driver that they are drifting and following too closely but the underlying cause of the inattention is the tech itself.

The ever-increasing number of high-tech features that the automakers are installing and updating daily has not resulted in safer vehicles or driving experiences. They are creating serious and ongoing distractions for drivers. Even changing the fan speed or car temp now requires looking at the screen and going through a variety of menu options.

The CAA is now speaking out about the increasing challenge posed by simple tasks while behind the wheel. They are preparing to launch public awareness campaigns to help drivers recognize the dangers of distracted driving posed by the infotainment-control panel systems.

We have had accident data for many years now indicating that distracted driving and impaired driving are on par for the cause of accidents. According to a recent article in the Toronto Star,

“More complex infotainment systems could be contributing to the problem. Research by the University of Utah in collaboration with the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that infotainment systems in the vehicles from the 2018 study often put a very high demand on drivers through a combination of visual, mental, and time demands, with some tasks taking upwards of 48 seconds. Further research found that older drivers are especially prone to potential distractions from systems.”

Carmakers are working on improvements to the systems to reduce the distractions they create however many of their ‘solutions’ like adding larger screens or more robust voice command systems are equally if not more distracting. Other issues include legislative tools that are far behind current technology.

If you have been injured in a car accident, pedestrian accident or bicycle accident due to a distracted driver you should contact one of our experienced personal injury lawyers immediately. You’ll want us working for you, so you don’t have to face your situation alone. Remember, the first consultation is free.

About Deutschmann Law

Deutschmann Law serves South-Western Ontario with offices in Kitchener-Waterloo, Cambridge, Woodstock, Brantford, Stratford and Ayr. The law practice of Robert Deutschmann focuses almost exclusively in personal injury and disability insurance matters. For more information, please visit www.deutschmannlaw.com or call us at 1-519-742-7774.

It is important that you review your accident benefit file with one of our experienced personal injury / car accident lawyers to ensure that you obtain access to all your benefits which include, but are limited to, things like physiotherapy, income replacement benefits, vocational retraining and home modifications.