Long MP3 playlists increase risk of distraction in drivers Researchers warn that searching long playlists for a favorite music may lead drivers to a car crash.
The study included 50 young adults who used either an MP3 player or an aftermarket controller to search for specific songs in their devices while operating a driving simulator.
Findings showed that drivers who searched through long playlists including about 580 songs were distracted more often and for longer periods of time than those who searched through shorter playlists.
Working with an aftermarket controller lengthened the drivers' glances away from the road, says the report published in The Journal of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.
“As seen in this study, these aftermarket devices do not always have the expected effect,†said lead author John Lee of the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
“New technology in the car often seems like familiar old technology, such as a radio, but is often much more likely to distract,†he added.
“A simple task of selecting a song from a list can seduce you into looking away from the road longer than you might have intended, and long looks away from the road can kill.â€
SJM/TE
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