Effects of manually entering navigator destinations while driving in a simulator

Distraction is regarded as one of the most important sources for traffic accidents, being a contributing factor in about 10-12- of accidents according to traditional crash studies. The use of electronic devices inside the car is a source of driver distraction that has generated a big concern in recent times. One major negative consequence of the in-vehicle use of these devices is a decrease of attention to stimuli in traffic. In order to study the consequences on driving performance, 43 subjects drove the driving simulator SIMUVEG while introducing directions in a navigator. Drivers- capability of keeping longitudinal and lateral control of the vehicle as well as awareness of the road scene was evaluated in this sample of drivers. Analysis of the measures revealed significant reduction of lateral and longitudinal control and of awareness of the visual environment, providing evidence of the negative consequences of interacting with electronic devices while driving.