--- title: "Study: Hands-Free Systems More Distracting Than Handheld Phones" id: "17935" type: "post" slug: "study-hands-free-systems-more-distracting-than-handheld-phones" published_at: "2013-06-14T15:51:02+00:00" modified_at: "2026-03-15T20:27:36+00:00" url: "https://associationsnow.com/2013/06/14/study-hands-free-systems-more-distracting-than-handheld-phones/" markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2013/06/14/study-hands-free-systems-more-distracting-than-handheld-phones.md" excerpt: "A new study by AAA's Foundation for Highway Safety found talking on a hands-free phone to be nearly as distracting to drivers as using a handheld phone—and using a speech-to-text system to be most distracting of all." taxonomy_category: - "Advocacy" taxonomy_post_tag: - "AssociationsNow" - "Business" - "driver distraction" - "Safety" - "Technology" taxonomy_content_format: - "Article" taxonomy_role: - "Association CEO / Executive Director" - "C-Level" - "Executive Team" taxonomy_persona: - "Industry Professionals" --- [Home](https://associationsnow.com/) » [Articles](https://associationsnow.com/format/article/) » Study: Hands-Free Systems More Distracting Than Handheld Phones Research recently released by AAA’s Foundation for Highway Safety found that using some [hands-free systems in cars can distract drivers more (opens in a new tab)](https://www.aaafoundation.org/sites/default/files/MeasuringCognitiveDistractions.pdf) than talking on a handheld phone. > “This clearly suggests that the adoption of voice-based systems in the vehicle may have unintended consequences that adversely affect traffic safety.” In the June study, researchers established a scale to measure drivers’ cognitive distraction, with a 1.0 being low and a 5.0 being high. While listening to the radio rated only a 1.21, conversations proved to be far more distracting to drivers. Talking on a hand-held phone rated 2.45 on the scale, slightly higher than talking to a passenger in the vehicle (2.33) or on a hands-free phone (2.27). But using a talk-to-text system rated a 3.06. “Compared to other activities studied (e.g., listening to the radio, conversing with passengers, etc.), we found that interacting with the speech-to-text system was the most cognitively distracting,” the study states. “This clearly suggests that the adoption of voice-based systems in the vehicle may have unintended consequences that adversely affect traffic safety.” The research revealed that even when a driver’s eyes are on the road and hands are on the wheel “sources of cognitive distraction cause significant impairments to driving.” According to the study, a distracted driver can experience “suppressed brain activity, increased reaction time, missed cues, and decreased visual scanning.” AAA states that 56 percent of drivers believe that hands-free communication is acceptable. The group told the Associated Press that nearly 9 million cars and trucks have voice-recognition systems, a number expected to jump to 62 million by 2018. “We believe there is a public safety crisis looming,” AAA spokeswoman Yolanda Cade said in the [AP report (opens in a new tab)](http://news.yahoo.com/hands-free-texting-still-distracting-drivers-100317896.html) . “We hope this study will change some widely held misconceptions by motorists.” Gloria Bergquist, vice president for public affairs at the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, told *[The New York Times (opens in a new tab)](http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/13/business/voice-activated-in-car-systems-are-called-risky.html?_r=0)* that the association was “concerned about any study that suggests that handheld phones are comparably risky to the hands-free systems we are putting in our vehicles.” She also pointed out that people now live in a “connected society” and “want to be connected in their car just as they are in their home or wherever.” In April, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found [drivers distracted by handheld phones were more likely to crash](http://associationsnow.com/2013/04/associations-mixed-on-agencys-driver-distraction-guidelines/) and released a set of voluntary guidelines that garnered a mixed response from associations. (Comstock/Jupiterimages/Thinkstock) [Daniel Ford](https://associationsnow.com/author/daniel-ford/) Daniel Ford is a contributor to Associations Now. 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