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In a recent study by Australian researchers in Brisbane, it has been reported that measures from 2003 in the UK to ban drivers from using mobile phones while driving unless connected to a hands free kit, may not have gone far enough, especially when detailing the concentration levels of those in an older age category. The research showed interesting statistics regarding a drivers "Useful Field of Vision" or UFV when they are not concentrating 100% on the road ahead and any particular dangers that might lie in front of them. The project's main focus was elderly drivers, with this group believed to be particularly susceptible to such distractions while driving.
The "Useful Field of Vision" or UFV or a person describes, as the name would suggest, the area which can be scanned, analysed and processed from a single glance or moment without the need to turn and physically look to cover a larger scene. A high UFV enables, in this instance, allows a driver to quickly and efficiently assess situations in milliseconds, knowing when potential accidents might occur in advance and thus take measures to avoid them. On the flip side, a low UFV means that the driver in question takes longer to come to conclusions mentally regarding potential accidents and is unable to process quite such a wide area of vision. The testing procedures by the Queensland University of Technology looked to assess the affects on UFV that in car entertainment or technology has.
During the study, drivers drove on a closed circuit in a test environment with differing audio and visual distractions. Those being tested were first analysed to assess their personal UFV:
- Drivers with limited UFV were more likely to encounter driving problems
- Drivers with limited UFV took longer on average to complete the tests
- Drivers with limited UFV were more likely to crash due to in car distractions
Although, the results were probably as expected. It does raise the question regarding the volume of in car technology that is now present in most modern motors. Sat Navs, in car mobile phones kits, audio equipment and so on, although perfectly legal, may in fact actually lead to undue distractions, and in some cases of motorists with poor UFV accidents and crash due to distraction.