ABSTRACT
Distraction-related crashes impose a substantial cost on society. By one estimate, cell phone-related crashes are responsible for $43 billion in costs each year in the United States alone.1 Some of these costs are balanced by the benefi ts associated with the distracting activities. As an example, in-vehicle information systems (IVISs) can reduce the monotony of driving and enable people to accomplish other tasks while driving. IVIS includes a wide variety of entertainment and information systems that range from MP3 players and cell phones to navigation systems and Internet content.2,3 Consequently, the benefi ts and the distraction potential vary widely. An important challenge that the designers and policy makers are facing is how to maximize the benefi ts of this technology and minimize the costs associated with the distraction potential of IVIS. This challenge is compounded by many other activities that compete for the attention of the drivers, such as eating, grooming, and talking with passengers.
