Milan, November 20 (askanews) – Sending a message with a mobile phone while behind the wheel means covering a distance of more than 220 meters without visual control. This is what emerged from the report “The Effect of Smartphone Distractions While Driving” made by Generali Jeniot together with the Automotive Safety Center GuidaSicura Quattroruote.
The study analyzed on track, simulating real urban traffic conditions at a speed of 50 km/h, the impact of the most common activities carried out with smartphones. For example, navigator setup involved 56% visual distraction, equivalent to approximately 173 meters of unrestrained travel, with episodes of failure to recognize pedestrians. In contrast, telephone calls resulted in a smaller visual gap (5.7%), but caused “many driving errors” due to the cognitive load required. For this study, the Distraction Score was introduced, an index from 0 to 100 that combines eye tracking and driving performance to objectively evaluate a driver’s level of attention.
“What is clear from this research is that the perception we have of safety hazards is very different from reality. We think we are distracted for a second or two, we are distracted for more than 6 seconds, we think we have done nothing wrong, but in 60% of cases we rush into the oncoming lane or say that we are not on the right lane. The negative consequences of wrong behavior are obvious”, said Alberto Busetto, CEO of Generali jeniot.
In this case, Generali jeniot has developed a professional driving simulator that allows you to experience firsthand how risky such distractions are. This study is part of the “Kilometers of Choice” vision, where Generali jeniot talks about the value of everyday decisions through projects dedicated to road safety.
