This is your brain on a cell-phone...

02.21.2010
in Driver Distraction

What's happening to your brain that makes cell phones create all that havoc on the roadway? Cognitive neuroscientists are using a variety of cutting edge technologies to understand brain functioning.   One way to study the neural basis of attention is by attaching electrodes to the scalp (don’t ...

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A simple way to study driver distraction

02.20.2010
in Driver Distraction

Is distracted driving a problem in your community? I’m often contacted by students asking for advice on how to study the effects of cell phones on drivers in their neighborhood. This blog describes a simple way to study driver distraction. There are several methods for studying driver distracti...

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Studying the obvious

02.07.2010
in Driver Distraction

Some have accused us of studying the obvious.  In our defense, I would note that what might seem to be obvious might not be true. Case in point: Six state legislatures have passed laws that prohibit using hand held cell phones while driving, but permitting the use of hands free devices (a seemingly...

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Did you see that clown!

02.06.2010
in Driver Distraction

This is a post about inattention blindness, cell phones, and a clown riding a unicycle.  First a little background and then on to the clown... Researchers have known for over 100 years that it takes attention to process the visual world.  Just because you look at something doesn't ensure that you...

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Hype or cause for concern?

02.01.2010
in Driver Distraction

These days driver distraction is in the news on a regular basis. But distracted driving has been around since automobiles have been on the road, so why the increase in media attention?  Is it just hype or is it cause for concern? The chart below, obtained from Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MAD...

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