Using Siri for Texting Just as Dangerous as The Real Thing Says Study

We all know it’s illegal to use your cellphone while driving in most parts, which is why our digital assistant Siri can make things easier. Well, not so fast, according to a study from the Texas Transportation Institute at Texas A&M University:

In their study 43 participants drove around a test track without using electronics and then again while using a speech-to-text device. The latter ended up taking longer than regular texting as users had to constantly make corrections in transcription, plus it also distracted them from the road:

“In each case, drivers took about twice as long to react as they did when they weren’t texting,” Christine Yager, who headed the study, told Reuters. “Eye contact to the roadway also decreased, no matter which texting method was used.”

[…]

“You’re still using your mind to try to think of what you’re trying to say, and that by proxy causes some driving impairment, and that decreases your response time,”

The study definitely has merits. There have been occasions where I have used Siri and it takes longer to correct a message than send one, which actually is distracting as I have to be patient and think about the changes. Note to self, put the phone down while driving.

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