Researcher: iPods an unknown road menace

NORTHAMPTON, Mass., Oct. 5 (UPI) -- Using an iPod device while operating a vehicle can dramatically increase a driver's chance of getting into an accident, a Massachusetts researcher says.

Engineer Donald L. Fisher of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst said by studying experienced drivers accustomed to using the music devices, he found nearly everyone focused on the device for a full two seconds at least once while driving, The Boston Globe reported Sunday.

Researchers have found that by not focusing on the road for two seconds or more, a driver is three times more likely to get into an accident. For Fisher, it's a problem that needs to be addressed.

"It just seems unacceptable to me, yet they're selling these holders for the iPod," the Human Performance Lab engineer said. "Nobody's talking about this."

Another study conducted by Fisher found that novice drivers are even more prone to distractions while driving, the Globe reported.

By observing the travel behaviors of a group of drivers between the age of 16 and 18, Fisher says he found that 55 percent of the inexperienced drivers took their eyes off the road for a dangerous length of time due to an in-vehicle distraction.