A Research Synthesis of Text Messaging and Driving Performance

Abstract

Summary:To determine the effects of text messaging on driving performance, all available experimental studies that measured driving performance were identified through a variety of database searches and backtracking strategies, and analyzed using standard research synthesis methods. Fourteen studies with a total of 519 participants were coded and analyzed. Methodology, independent and dependent variables, and statistical analyses varied widely across studies, but conclusions were clear and convergent. Reaction time, crashes, longitudinal and lateral control, eye movements, hazard detection and subjective workload measures indicate significant decrements in driving performance while reading and typing text messages. The importance of the results for further policy development and methodological reporting is briefly introduced.

Texting while driving: Is speech-based text entry less risky than handheld text entry?

“…Texting while driving is a growing public safety hazard (Caird et al, 2013;Wilson and Stimpson, 2010). For example, a multivariate regression analysis based on the Fatality Accident Reporting System (FARS) database found that the percentage of distractionrelated fatalities increased from 10.9% in 1999 to 15.8% in 2008.…”

Driving and Texting Performance When Drivers Text Behind the Wheel

“…With the increasing prevalence of smartphones and wearable devices, texting while driving is becoming an important public safety hazard [1]. The National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that 11% of drivers are using cell phones at any one time [2].…”

“…Text-to-speech and voice-recognition technologies may potentially reduce the amount of visual distraction compared to looking down at a phone to read messages [21]. A meta-analysis study found that lateral vehicle control and glances away from the road were less affected by reading text messages than writing them, however other research has found that reading and writing text messages almost equally impaired driving performance [1,12].…”