The ability to multitask while driving is typically seen as an asset, allowing people to get more done in less time. In the business environment, constant interruptions are the norm. Today, constant exposure to electronic devices leads us to believe that we can pay attention to our cell phones even while we are driving with no detrimental impact on our ability to drive safely. This just isn’t true – far from it.
Is it possible to multitask while driving? The truth is that we don’t actually multitask, and any diversion of focus creates an unsafe environment when operating a vehicle. The risk of multitasking compounds itself when we are engaged in a complex activity, such as driving a vehicle, where we can benefit from the processing of a continual stream of contextual insight related to our drive. While we can shift from one task to another very quickly, there is a price to be paid for that refocusing of attention. Bottom line: multitasking while driving does not exist and trying to do so while driving makes for unsafe driver behavior.
Why there is pressure to multitask while driving
Because of the clear negative impact of attempting to multitask while driving, fleets should seek to minimize driver distraction and encourage full attention on driving. Don’t believe the multitasking hype, scientists say. New research shows that we humans aren’t as good as we think at doing several things at once.
As if multitasking were not a big enough challenge, the issue is often complicated by employees’ need to be “productive”. In this case, productivity is often interpreted as multitasking. Employees must understand that while operating a vehicle, there is no excuse for any diversion of focus from driving.
A significant contributor to multitasking while driving is the pressure many drivers feel from employers and customers to respond quickly to messages, calls, or updates. In an era where rapid communication is not only expected but ingrained in workplace and cultural norms, this pressure can lead to dangerous distractions behind the wheel.
To address this issue, organizations can implement two key approaches to multitasking while driving:
- Make It Easier to Respond Hands-Free: Providing drivers with advanced hands-free communication systems may help reduce manual distractions. Features such as voice-to-text messaging and hands-free call systems enable drivers to stay connected without taking their hands off the wheel or their eyes off the road. However, even with hands-free options, cognitive distractions remain a concern, as drivers must still split their mental focus between the conversation and driving.
- Set Expectations for No Response While Driving: A more robust approach is to clearly establish that commercial drivers are not expected to respond while on the road. By fostering a culture where safety is prioritized over immediate communication, companies can help reduce the pressure on drivers to multitask. Employers should communicate to customers that there may be delays in response when drivers are on duty, emphasizing the importance of their safety.
While hands-free solutions may mitigate some risks, addressing the root cause of unrealistic expectations for immediate responses — creates a safer and more sustainable driving environment. Employers must lead the charge by setting clear policies, providing proper training, and consistently reinforcing the message that safety always comes first.
Re-orienting after multitasking
So, what does multitasking do while driving? When involved in attempting to do multiple tasks at once, the problem is not limited to diverted focus. Once the driver’s attention is diverted, it takes a significant amount of time to fully reorient oneself to the driving situation.
This becomes a critical consideration when driving a vehicle as the driver is continually exposed to contextual information while driving which supports safe driving. Intersections, red lights, pedestrians, traffic around us, emergency vehicles, road repair signs, traffic flow, weather, tailgating drivers in front of us, all give us indicators of potential risks that should factor into our ability to respond and react to driving events.
“If you test people while they’re texting or talking on the phone, they will actually miss a lot of things that are in their visual periphery,” says Earl Miller, a neuroscientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Even when using a hands-free device, scientists have found that talking on the phone distracts us to the point where we devote less brain power to focusing on the road.
When multitasking while driving, much of that contextual insight is lost, only gradually returning some time after the multitasking event. Driving requires a surprising amount of brain power. On the road, we have to process huge amounts of visual information, predict the actions of other drivers, and coordinate precise movements of our hands and feet.
Is a car the right place for attempting to multitask?
A graphic on the front page of USA Today shows that most people believe it is. A survey by Nationwide Mutual Insurance showed that 72 percent of drivers say they do other things while driving, like using a cell phone, eating, or drinking.
A few years ago the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that driver inattention is the leading factor in most crashes and near crashes. They found that nearly 80 percent of crashes and 65 percent of near-crashes involved some form of driver inattention within three seconds before the event. These studies further highlight the dangers of multitasking while driving, as not only are there a number of possible distractions in the vehicle, but also any one of them for a brief moment can cause a collision.
Why Multitasking and Driving Don’t Mix
Humans have incredibly complex brains, having evolved over eons, fostering the ability for our own survival. One of those skills, however, has the potential to be detrimental to our safety. The ability to focus on several topics, seemingly simultaneously, seems to allow us to get more done in less time. However, the price we pay for that lack of strict focus is compromised attention to each task individually. When we attempt to do something as complex and demanding as operating a vehicle, any attention that shifts to tasks other than driving will compromise the ability to drive as safely as possible.
It is very important that fleets provide a focus in their driver safety programs for strict attention to be continually applied to driving. Any distraction from actually driving will lead to negative outcomes.
