There are several kinds of distractions that motorists face while driving.  Motorists are most frequently distracted by the use of technological devices including cell phones, digitized billboards, snacking and conversations with fellow passengers.  However, there are other distractions that can increase a driver’s risk of an accident.  An interesting study out of the UK shows that motorists may be heavily distracted by listening to sports commentary on the radio.  In fact, the level of distraction may be at almost the same level as driving under the influence of alcohol.

The researchers studied nine men and women between the age of 25 and 45.  The subjects were put through a simulated driving program, and had to listen to a horserace commentary.  The program required the drivers to steer the vehicle on an easy course, through obstacles from traffic and steep curves.  All the time, the subject had to listen to commentary about the horserace.  Further, each subject was also asked to choose a horse before the race, and was told they would win approximately $2.3 for each horse that found a place in the top five.  The study found that the reaction time of the motorists dropped by about 20%.  This kind of drop is just a little bit higher than the kind of drop that’s seen when a person is driving under the influence.

As a Houston car accident lawyer with a strong interest in crashes caused by distracted driving, two things stand out from the study.  One is that drivers can become so engrossed in sports commentary on the radio that they can forget about their surroundings.  The other is that the impact of these distractions seems to increase when the person has an emotional interest in whatever is distracting him.  In this case, the motorists had an emotional interest – winning the money – to distract them from driving.

It’s also the reason why having a conversation with a family member is much more distracting than receiving a call from a telemarketer.  The emotional quotient increases distraction, and consequently, your risk of an accident.

Image Courtesy: Flickr – Ned Richards

Vuk Vujasinovic is a Board Certified Houston personal injury attorney who practices Houston auto accident and other personal injury cases.

For more info on how Vuk can help you with your potential case please call him at (877) 724-7800 or fill out the contact form on the right.

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