Smartphone on the steering wheel: "6 minutes of inattention per hour", fatal danger of confirmed study

Smartphone on the steering wheel: “6 minutes of inattention per hour”, fatal danger of confirmed study

by

The driver holds a smartphone driving and illustrates the steering wheel distraction connected to the notifications.

The simple fact of consulting with the announcement will avert the driver’s attention for several seconds, which significantly increases the risk of the accident. Illustrative picture.

© Shutterstock

At the time of summer departures, the Assurance Pévention Association publishes a shock study on the impact of the proceedings. It shows that even without manipulating a smartphone is made of Calyxis (behavior experts) and development innovation (driving simulators), a simple fact that you alert the announcement, divert attention in a massive way – up to 6 minutes of inattention per hour drive.

French study reveals the impact of announcement on the vigilance behind the wheel

To support this observation, the study relied on strict protocol, mixing simulated behavior and eye monitoring. The numbers are clear: in situations where the smartphone is active, visual attention to the road decreases from 89 to 79 %. And this simple decline of ten points leads to strong consequences: twice as many accidents on the highway, 1.7 times more on the department’s road and up to 2.6 times more in the city. It is not an effect of style, but a measured reality.

With the notifications activated, the driver turned away from the road for 6 minutes per hour.

Study of Pévention 2025 Insurance

In addition to accident statistics, cognitive mechanics of distraction are also analyzed. The study shows that each warning leads to the cognitive treatment of 12.7 seconds. During this time, the view is shared between the road (6.1 s) and the screen (6.6 s). At 130 km/h it is 459 meters, which traveled without full attention. The impact is equally critical on the road or in the city.

Graphics show that drivers spend a diameter of 12.7 seconds for processing a car announcement, divided between the route (6.1 s) and the appearance of the screen (6.6 s), while the distances are depending on speed.

According to prevention insurance, each announcement diverts the driver’s attention for 12.7 seconds – up to 459 meters traveled without alert for 130 km/h.

© Prevention Insurance, 2025

The danger comes only from the time spent by the eyes riveted on the screen. It also results from a more insidious phenomenon: a rupture of what scientists call “cognitive fluency”. It is this brain’s ability to maintain stable mental efforts in a complicated task, driving here. However, each announcement violates this thread and forces the driver to redistribute his cognitive resources, reconstruct the road scene to rebuild his understanding of the environment. And this is not done in the blink of the eye: Sometimes it takes almost a minute to find the optimal concentration.

Beware of 12.7 seconds will divert only one notification. At 130 km/h it is 459 meters without vigilance.

Results of the Prevention Insurance Study 2025

In the face of these results, prevention of insurance asks for simple and effective measurement: reduce the announcement during the travels. It is a habit of taking as well as the completion of the belt. Because harmless alerts are never when you hold the steering wheel in your hands.

In France, remember that using a smartphone on the steering wheel, even in a simple view, is expensive:

  • A fine fixation point of 135 euros (90 euros if a fast payment that may rise to 375 euros in case of delay)
  • Download 3 points on a driving license

Costs are not limited to a fine: a combined crime (phone + speed exceeding, red light, etc.) leads to an immediate suspension that can take up to six months.

Do you want to save even more? Discover our selected promo codes for you.

Leave a Comment