iPods have a significant effect on driver performance, according to Drexel University professor of computer science Dario Salvucci, who recently conducted a preliminary study to determine the effects of iPod use while driving. The study, a first in this area, found the effects of using an iPod while driving comparable to those previously reported for dialing a cell phone while on the road.
“These findings serve as a first step toward understanding the potential effects of portable music-player interaction on driver behavior and performance,†said Salvucci. “Surprisingly, despite the plethora of research on driver distraction, there have been no studies to date of how interaction with a portable music player may affect driver performance.â€
A 2006 General Motors Acceptance Corporation (GMAC) Insurance National Drivers Test study polled 5,288 licensed drivers from all 50 states and found that 20 percent of drivers between the ages of 18 to 24 had selected songs on an iPod while driving.
The Drexel study was conducted on a group of 12 people who reported experience using an iPod. An iPod with both audio and video capability was used for the iPod tasks. While driving, participants selected and played three types of iPod media: music, informational podcasts or videos. They were later tested to see how much attention they paid to a song or video. About 84 percent of the participants paid attention to and understood the media content. Physorg