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Are Hands-Free Cellphones Really as Safe for California Drivers as You Think They Are?

Auto manufacturers and state legislators have taken great lengths to try and make California roads safer. Through increased safety measures, new innovations, and new laws, it would stand to reason that car accidents would be on the decline. The truth is unfortunately quite different. In fact, in 2015, the country saw its first increase in fatal car accidents since the 1950s. Those numbers went up again in 2016.

Now residents and lawmakers are asking: Is there more that can be done? One of the steps that has been taken, finding ways to let drivers use their cellphones without using their hands, has recently come under scrutiny. Many are wondering if these devices not only fail on their goal of making the roads safer but actually go a step further and make roads less safe. Read on for more information about a recent study and then reach out to Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas at 909-982-0707 if you have been injured in or lost a loved one in a car accident.

California has some of the strictest distracted driving laws in the country

Compared to other states in the U.S., California has rather strict laws around distracted driving. However, people in the state are legally allowed to make calls and / or send texts provided they do so with a device that offers hands-free technology. However, a recent study from the University of Texas has suggested that perhaps this rule is not make the roads – or drivers – any safer.

Many in the industry were startled by the results of one study

The study described above was led by a research team that looked at how 20 volunteers read and sent text messages. They put the volunteers into a driving simulator and used a regular cellphone as well as Google Glass to both read and reply to text messages. The team decided to use Google Glass because this is a hands-free device that is supposed to be the most advanced, in that it allows the user to read text messages without taking their eyes from the road or their hands from the wheel.

Their study did show that the test subjects were less distracted when using Google Glass, which was not a surprise. However, the researchers were surprised to learn how temporary this was. While it was true that the driver who could read messages while still looking at the road were safer, it is also true that it made the drivers much more confident. As a result, they were much more likely to send a text message while driving – which actually negated just about every safety benefit.

While many may be surprised by these findings, those of us at Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas are not. The reality is that distracted driving is responsible for many car accidents every year, and many of those accidents are fatal. While innovators are looking for ways to keep drivers’ eyes on the road, we are looking for ways to help the families of victims. Contact us at 909-982-0707 for a free legal consultation if you have been impacted by distracted driving.