iTrips add to driver distraction

As the latest in-car gadgets – iTrips – become legally available for the first time in shops across the UK tomorrow, Privilege Insurance is urging motorists to exercise caution when using them while driving.

iTrips operate by tuning a driver’s iPod into their in-car FM radio and will add to the many other in-car gadgets, such as CD players and sun-roofs, which are responsible for almost half a million drivers having a road accident, according to research from safe driver experts Privilege.

Almost half of drivers (45 per cent) say they have lost concentration after being distracted by accessories, and 600,000 drivers admit they have had near misses as a result.

A fifth of motorists have been so distracted when fiddling with an instrument in their car’s ‘cock-pit’ that they veered out of lane. Of these, five per cent have lost control of the vehicle, three per cent have veered right off the road – three per cent have actually had an accident.

Kate Syred, Marketing and Commercial Director of Privilege Insurance, commented on the legalisation of ITrips: “Having the latest in-car gadgets can sometimes make long drives more bearable, but we are urging drivers to make sure they are fully prepared before setting off on a journey and ensure that all of their in-car gadgets are set up beforehand in order to avoid distractions while driving.

“Motorists should set up a play list on their MP3 player that will last the full length of their journey – or at least until their next planned journey break. Drivers should also avoid the temptation to re-tune their iTrip to a new frequency if the transmission is lost while on the move.”

Almost four in ten (39 per cent) drivers say they avoid using any gadget which isn’t essential to the smooth running of their car, and four in ten go as far as calling on manufacturers to limit the growth of car gadget culture.

According to the Privilege research, it is not just the latest cockpit technology that is distracting and confusing drivers – even the most basic controls are puzzling many of them. Asked to identify what some of today’s ‘helpful’ dashboard symbols mean, nearly half (47 per cent) failed to identify the engine coolant gauge, 29 per cent didn’t recognise the airbag malfunction indicator and one in eight (12 per cent) failed to recognise the rear demister button.