The effects of text messaging on young novice driver performance

Hosking, S.; Young, K.; Regan, M. · 2006 · ROSA P / Monash University. Accident Research Centre

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Summary

This study investigates the impact of text messaging on the driving performance of young novice drivers, a demographic identified as particularly vulnerable to distraction due to limited experience and high rates of mobile phone use. Motivated by the rising prevalence of in-vehicle communication devices and the scarcity of experimental research on text messaging specifically, the researchers aimed to quantify the safety risks associated with both retrieving and sending SMS messages. The study sought to extend previous findings by examining these distinct tasks and their effects on critical driving metrics such as lane keeping, hazard detection, and speed control. The research utilized a repeated-measures design involving twenty participants aged 18 to 21 years, all holding probationary licenses with six months or less of driving experience. Participants completed two simulated drives in an advanced driving simulator at the Monash University Accident Research Centre. Each drive included eight critical events, such as stopping at red lights, following lead vehicles, avoiding pedestrians, and executing lane changes. During designated events, participants were required to retrieve and send text messages using a Nokia mobile phone, while other events served as control conditions without distraction. Performance measures included eye-tracking data, lateral lane position, speed, time headway, and lane excursions. Post-drive questionnaires assessed subjective workload and perceived performance decline. The results demonstrated that text messaging significantly degraded driving performance. Drivers spent up to 400% more time with their eyes off the road when text messaging compared to baseline driving, with glance durations increasing by 155% for retrieving messages and 277% for sending them. Sending text messages, in particular, caused a significant increase in lateral lane position variability during traffic light, pedestrian, and car-following events. Drivers also made 28% more lane excursions and 140% more incorrect lane changes, primarily due to missing traffic signs. While drivers attempted to compensate for distraction by increasing their following distance—mean time headway increased by up to 50%—they did not reduce their speed. Consequently, the stopping distance required to avoid collisions remained unchanged despite the increased reaction risks. Subjective reports confirmed these findings, with 95% of participants noting performance decline during retrieval and 100% during sending. The study concludes that retrieving and, especially, sending text messages pose significant safety risks by impairing visual attention and vehicle control without eliciting compensatory speed reductions. The findings suggest that the physical, visual, and cognitive demands of text messaging exceed those of voice calls. The authors recommend targeted safety education campaigns for young drivers and more stringent enforcement of laws banning hand-held phone use to mitigate crash risks associated with this prevalent distraction.

Key finding

Drivers spent up to 400 percent more time with their eyes off the road and made 28 percent more lane excursions when retrieving and sending text messages compared to non-text messaging conditions.

Methodology

simulator

Sample size: 20

Provenance

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Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant on 2026-06-10; verification: verified.

Topics

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• visual manual
• mobile phones
• visual
• temporal
• distraction laws
• manual

Information type

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• Empirical Findings: behavioral performance data, observational prevalence