If you drive a newer vehicle, you likely use a dashboard screen for many everyday tasks. You may enter directions, adjust the temperature or choose music with a few taps. These features can make driving more convenient, but they also compete for your attention.
Even a brief glance at a screen can take your focus away from the road. As vehicle manufacturers place more functions behind digital displays, questions continue to arise about whether these systems are contributing to distracted driving.
Everyday tasks that now happen on a screen
Many features that once relied on physical buttons now require you to use a digital display. Common activities include:
- Entering a destination into a navigation system
- Adjusting heating and air conditioning settings
- Changing music or entertainment selections
- Reviewing vehicle settings and alerts
- Connecting and using smartphone applications
Some of these activities require several steps and can pull your attention away from the roadway for longer than you realize.
How vehicle screens compete for your attention
Using a dashboard screen can divide your attention in several ways. Common distractions that can cause a crash include:
- Looking away from traffic to find a menu or icon
- Taking a hand off the steering wheel to make a selection
- Focusing on the display instead of surrounding conditions
At 55 miles per hour, for example, your vehicle travels about 80 feet every second. In that time, traffic can slow suddenly, another vehicle can enter your lane or a pedestrian can step into a crosswalk.
Why screen-related distractions can lead to severe crashes
If your eyes leave the road for only a few seconds, you can miss important changes in traffic. Distracted driving can contribute to rear-end crashes, intersection collisions and accidents involving pedestrians or cyclists.
These collisions can cause life-changing injuries. High-speed impacts can result in traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage and other catastrophic injuries that require long-term medical care and keep some people from returning to physically demanding jobs.
What can happen after a screen-related crash
Distracted driving does not involve only texting or talking on a cellphone. A driver can also become distracted by technology built into the vehicle.
After a serious crash, investigators may examine witness statements, physical evidence from the scene and information stored by the vehicle. In some cases, this evidence may help show whether a driver was interacting with a dashboard screen instead of watching the road.
Technology does not change the demands of driving
Vehicle technology will continue to evolve, but driving still requires your full attention. Built-in screens offer convenience, yet they can also create distractions that contribute to serious collisions.
As digital displays become more common in vehicles, discussions about distracted driving will likely include not only cellphones but also the technology that drivers use inside their vehicles every day.
