Texting while driving is a visual problem influenced by phone viewing angle and working distance in young individuals

Purpose: To investigate the impact of smartphone viewing distance and angle on reaction times. Design: A prospective, self-controlled, single-center study. Methods: Participants engaged in a driving simulation facing a large screen with a simulated brake pedal. They were tasked to stop the simulation once recognizing the deceleration of upcoming traffic. Tests were conducted without distraction and with a standardized distraction simulating texting while driving (TWD). Smartphone positions varied at distances of 30 cm and 60 cm, and at angles parallel to and 30° below the road plane. Reaction times were measured from the onset of simulated closure to detection. Stopping distances were extrapolated using data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Results: Ninety-four participants were included with a mean age of 24 ± 2.7 years. The control reaction time was 11.5 ± 4.1 s. Reaction times significantly decreased with smartphone placement at a closer distance of 30 cm parallel (17.0 ± 3.3 s) vs 60 cm parallel (15.4 ± 3.8 s), P