Not everyone is a "supertasker"
A recent article on Wired's website about multitaskers caught my eye both for the information in the article, and how some people might interpret that information.
The article focuses on the findings of a recent study saying that a small percentage of people are exceptionally good at multitasking behind the wheel. These so-called supertaskers are able to perform well on benchmark driving tests while doing other distracting tasks such as talking on the phone or solving math problems. While the average person's response time when braking is reduced 20 percent when multitasking behind the wheel, supertaskers seem to be unaffected.
The idea that driving performance can be unaffected by cell phone use flies in the face of recent legislative trends to restrict the use of phones behind the wheel. Missouri recently banned minors from texting and driving, while commercial truck drivers have been banned from texting by a federal regulation as a way of preventing fatal traffic accidents.
And that's precisely the concern with the article. Most people are definitely not supertaskers. The average person's reaction time while talking on the phone is equivalent to that of a drunken driver and texting while driving is even more dangerous. Only about two percent of people studied had this unique talent, but chances are, a much higher percentage of people reading that article will get the idea that they, too, are multitasking prodigies.
While the science behind brain function and the existence of supertakers is interesting, don't make any assumptions on your own ability. Distracted driving is incredibly negligent and in the vast majority of cases will increase the chances of a serious car accident.
