Drivers say biggest distraction is cell phone

By Carol Yancho
CNN Detroit Bureau

DETROIT, Michigan (CNN) -- Drivers say dialing a cell phone is their biggest distraction in the car, according to a survey released Friday by J.D. Power and Associates.

Of those questioned, 64 percent considered dialing a cell phone as the top item on a list of nine situations that drivers perceive as "very distracting" in the 2001 Automotive Emerging Technologies Study.

Thirty-nine percent said viewing a vehicle navigation system was the most distracting, followed by 31 percent who listed looking at e-mail notifications as taking their attention away from the road.

Eating or drinking while driving was cited as the biggest distraction for 28 percent of those surveyed, and 9 percent said tuning their car radio was the most distracting thing they did while driving.

"They [consumers] want information that will help them while driving without increasing their level of distraction," said Jeff Taylor, senior manager at J.D. Power and Associates, of the survey's results.

Thirty percent of those asked said talking on a hands-free cell phone was the biggest distraction while driving, 21 percent said it was using a personal digital assistant, or PDA, and 17 percent said the biggest distraction was using a vehicle-installed entertainment system.

The report also showed consumers prefer to have safety-related features in their vehicles rather than sophisticated entertainment systems or "convenience" features, such as adjustable pedals or interior occupant monitoring systems.

Seven out of eight drivers chose run-flat tires as the No. 1 safety feature they would like to have in their next vehicle. Side-window security glass came in a close second, with 86 percent of those surveyed naming it their most desired auto safety feature.

Driver preference varied among the different consumer age groups.

"We continue to see strong interest among parents for options that keep children entertained in the vehicle," said Taylor.

"While manufacturers have heavily promoted rear-seat entertainment in compact vans, there is a small but growing audience for this technology in many vehicle segments, particularly in sport utility vehicles."

Meanwhile, "Generation Y" consumers expressed higher levels of interest in stereo-related features such as satellite radio and MP3 audio systems as compared to other age groups, Taylor said.

This is the second year for the Automotive Emerging Technologies Study, which was conducted in June. It included responses from nearly 13,000 consumers who purchased or leased a new car or light truck, measuring consumer interests in and familiarity with the latest automotive technologies available or those in development.

J.D. Power and Associates is a global marketing firm which specializes in the automotive industry. The company is based in Agoura Hills, Calif., and has a branch office Detroit.