You may not be “multitasking” as well as you think
“Multitasking” is one of the buzzwords of the technological age. People have convinced themselves that they can carry out a number of different activities at the same time. It sounds very efficient but is it? In fact, research indicates otherwise. A few years back, ScienceDaily carried a piece, We Weren’t Made To Multitask, and studies since then have only confirmed that our brains are not really so good at doing several things simultaneously.
One multitasking activity that is downright dangerous is using a cell phone or texting while driving a car. The New York Times has an article on the hazards:
A 2003 Harvard study estimated that cellphone distractions caused 2,600 traffic deaths every year, and 330,000 accidents that result in moderate or severe injuries.
Yet Americans have largely ignored that research. Instead, they increasingly use phones, navigation devices and even laptops to turn their cars into mobile offices, chat rooms and entertainment centers, making roads more dangerous.
A disconnect between perception and reality worsens the problem. New studies show that drivers overestimate their own ability to safely multitask, even as they worry about the dangers of others doing it.
Don’t use a cell phone and drive.
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