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On May 7, 2016, Joshua Brown was driving along U.S. Route 27 in Williston, FL, when a semi-tractor trailer made a turn in front of him. Mr. Brown’s Tesla Model S then plowed under the truck before hitting two fences and spinning around. It’s unclear how fast Mr. Brown’s car was moving, but Tesla Motors Inc. confirmed that it was running on Autopilot, according to the Wall Street Journal. This is the first reported accident involved with the new “hands-free” driving technology. 

Although hands-free technology supposedly aims to protect drivers behind the wheel, a study released by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, a nonprofit focused on vehicular safety, suggests the opposite may be true. 

According to AAA, the massive increase in voice-activated technologies in vehicles and phones represents a growing safety problem for drivers. These new systems may invite driver distraction, even as overwhelming scientific evidence concludes that hands-free is not risk-free.

 Hands-free devices increase mental distraction. 

A recent study by the AAA Foundation showed that potentially unsafe mental distractions can persist for as long as 27 seconds after dialing, changing music or sending a text using voice commands. Researchers discovered the residual effects of mental distraction while comparing new hands-free technologies in ten 2015 vehicles and three types of smart phones. The analysis found that all systems studied increased mental distraction to potentially unsafe levels. 

Slower reaction times and compromised brain functions were found by researchers. These two issues could potentially result in drivers not seeing items right in front of them such as stop signs and pedestrians. 

Hands-free devices in vehicles can develop technology glitches. 

As with any technology, there can be technology glitches in hands-free driving. These glitches can happen should there be programming errors. When this happens in a computer, according to LifeHack.com, it is annoying, but should it happen in a hands-free vehicle the potential for accidents, injuries and deaths can occur. 

Hands-free devices are not really hands-free. 

InfinityAuto.com says that if a driver constantly has to fiddle with controls on a device, it is not truly hands-free. Further, if you have to look away from the road to read a text screen, you could miss a car pulling out in front of you. Even mapping devices located on the dash near your steering wheel require you to take your eyes off the road. Finally, GPS devices that provide audible directions can startle you with sudden alerts like, "Turn left now." 

Hands-free devices provide a false sense of security. 

“Too many Americans are driving with the false sense of security that hands-free devices are somehow safer, which could be a deadly mistake,” said AAA Foundation President and CEO Peter Kissinger. “Evidence shows that using a hands-free phone while driving impairs your reaction time to critical events and increases your crash risk about the same as if you were using a hand-held phone. Drivers need to be aware of the dangers of distracted driving and pay full attention while they are behind the wheel.” 

In short, the AAA study confirms what many safety advocates have said for some time. The problem of distracted driving will not be eliminated completely by people using hands-free systems. 

“Being involved in an accident can be traumatic. After an accident, contact the experienced team at Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A. We will meet with you to determine your rights,” said Naples Car Accident Attorney, Randall Spivey. 

Naples Car Accident Attorney, Randall L. Spivey is a Board Certified Trial Attorney – the highest recognition for competence bestowed by the Florida Bar and a distinction earned by just one (1%) percent of Florida attorneys.  He has handled over 2,000 personal injury and wrongful death cases throughout Florida.  For a free and confidential consultation to discuss your legal rights, contact the Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A., in Lee County at 239.337.7483 or toll free at 1.888.477.4839,or by email to Randall@SpiveyLaw.com.  Visit SpiveyLaw.com for more information.  You can contact Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A.in Charlotte County at 941.764.7748 and in Collier County 239.793.7748.