Effects of Passenger and Cellular Phone Conversations on Driver Distraction

Abstract

The distracting effects of a simulated conversation with passengers and those of a conversation over a hands-free cellular phone were compared. The conversation was also analyzed to determine if passengers modulated their conversations as driving demands changed. Eighty participants were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: driving alone, driving with a passenger, and driving with a cellular phone. Drivers drove through residential and urban traffic environments in a fixed-based driving simulator in which a variety of events occurred, such as pedestrian activity, oncoming vehicles, and intersections. The results indicated that lane and speed maintenance were influenced by increased driving demands. Response times to a pedestrian incursion increased when the driver was driving and talking compared with those detected when the driver was not talking at all. Contrary to what some researchers have assumed, there was little practical evidence that passengers adjusted their conversations to changes in the traffic environment. The workload was rated higher when the driver was driving and talking and was also rated higher by drivers than by nondrivers. The discussion focuses on future research and implications for driver safety and training.

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