In-car entertainment systems may cause rise in car accidents
duck2water Car Insurance Services warns that the growing popularity of complex in-car entertainment systems may lead to a rise in car accidents.
The development of new technologies is being embraced by the UK population, with a record number of people opting for increasingly complicated in-car entertainment systems when they buy a new car. However, many drivers may not realise the extent to which they become distracted from the road when they are operating or watching such a system.
Many people choose a TV, video recorder, or DVD player to keep their children quiet and content in the back of the car. Gone are the days of “I spy” and number plate games on long journeys, as well as, parents hope, the refrain of “Are we there yet?”
Audio systems such as CD players and tape players have been fitted in cars for many years and are not viewed by drivers as being particularly distracting. However, a recent study in Australia has found that drivers find adjusting a stereo more distracting than making a telephone call on a hands-free mobile.
The study found that motorists distracted by an audio system braked 10 km per hour slower than when concentrating on the road, whilst motorists using a hands-free mobile phone braked 6 km per hour slower than focused drivers.
Rebecca Pearson of www.duck2watercarinsurance.co.uk comments:
“Unless drivers are alerted to the danger of distracted driving, these complex in-car entertainment systems are going to cause accidents, and many drivers will see an end to their cheap car insurance.
“Most drivers accept that talking on a mobile telephone while driving is distracting, but we believe many are totally unaware of the risks presented by stereos or more complex in-car entertainment systems.
“We surveyed our car insurance customers and found only 5% thought that their stereo presented more of a distraction risk than a hands-free mobile phone. However, 40% of our customers did report they considered in-car TVs and DVD players to be as distracting as a mobile telephone conversation.”