Cognitive Distraction While Multitasking in the Automobile

Driver distraction is a significant source of motor-vehicle accidents. This chapter begins by presenting a framework for conceptualizing the different sources of driver distraction associated with multitasking. Thereafter, the primary focus is on cognitive sources of distraction stemming from the use of a cell phone while driving. We present converging evidence establishing that concurrent cell phone use significantly increases the risk of a motor-vehicle accident. Next, we show that using a cell phone induces a form of inattention blindness, where drivers fail to notice information directly in their line of sight. Whereas cell-phone use increases the crash risk, we show that passenger conversations do not. We also show that real-world cell-phone interference cannot be practiced away and conclude by considering individual differences in multitasking ability. Although the vast majority of individuals cannot perform this dual-task combination without impairment, a small group of “supertaskers” can, and we discuss the neural regions that support this ability. Most of the time we take driving for granted. But operating an automobile is the riskiest activity that most readers of this chapter engage in on a regular basis. In fact, motor-vehicle crashes were the leading cause of accidental deaths in the US in 2008 and are the leading cause of all deaths for people between the age of 1 and 35. The National Safety Council White Paper (2010) recently noted that driver distraction had joined alcohol and Psychology of Learning and Motivation, Volume 54 # 2011 Elsevier Inc. ISSN 0079-7421, DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-12-385527-5.00002-4 All rights reserved.