Topic: Are Today’s Drivers Incurably Distracted?

[AutoTrader.ca]

“Nothing works because they don’t care.”
Read more...

[PJungnitsch]

It's not just young people, that's for sure.

Does CarPlay, etc make it better or worse?

[UnknownJinX]

Haven't used CarPlay or AndroidAuto before, but if I ever use them, it won't be outside of streaming music and navigation.

Also doesn't help that most newer cars nowadays are snoozefests. Of course a Prius/Corolla driver will become distracted easily - they are blander than water. Part of the reason I drive a stick is that it adds some flavour to the car, and it also keeps me occupied with something to do.

[JacobBlack]

It's not just young people, that's for sure.

Does CarPlay, etc make it better or worse?

Better. And here's why:
Nav: Having it in the dash, connected to google's far-superior voice command services make it less distracting even then OEM systems. Let alone safer than using google maps on your phone in your lap/precariously placed on your coffee holders.

Messaging: One of the things people struggle to get past these days is the bombardment of messages coming in via text, and via facebook messenger. Even professional interactions happen more in those mediums than they ever did before. AA and AC read those out and allow you to voice dictate response. Is it better than not doing any of it at all? No. But it is far, far better than trying to thumb a message in your lap while driving.

I'm a big advocate for those systems, mostly because they strike a balance between pragmatism and safety.

I also fully accept that the best possible thing to do in a car is DRIVE and nothing else. But 95 percent of our fellow road users feel different. And that sucks.

[Brig]

My work phone is an iPhone.  I have activated the setting that senses when I'm driving.  If I get a text, it will send an auto-reply to the sender stating that I'm driving and will answer when I get to my destination.  Kinda cool.

[ltruong]

Looks like BC and Ontario is hammering down on fines.

[mlin32]

"Lâchez le portable, pas le volant" was one of the catchy autoroute messages displayed on the overhead signs that sticks in my head. Maybe worth a try in Canada 

Now that I drive a stick, there's really no possibility to send a SMS while driving- constantly changing gears. And out on the autoroutes, there's way too much going on to do anything with the mobile- I don't see how it's possible here with all the traffic, signs, cameras, road works, etc.... I'll admit to occasionally reading notifications on the locked screen but to actually input anything is impossible for me.

[Ex-airbalancer]

"Lâchez le portable, pas le volant" was one of the catchy autoroute messages displayed on the overhead signs that sticks in my head. Maybe worth a try in Canada 

Why, probably 75% of Canadians will not not what it means