Classic car drivers are less distracted
When I recently read a press release from Allianz, I was quite surprised. “New research by the Allianz Center for Technology (AZT) shows that the proportion of accidents caused by distractions is significantly higher than previously assumed. While earlier estimates assumed a rate of around 10 percent of traffic accidents, the current analyses indicate a rate of more than 30 percent. This means that distraction is either the direct cause or a decisive contributing factor in at least one out of every three accidents.
Thanks to a new research methodology involving cognitive modeling, these instances of distraction can apparently be measured concretely for the first time. Allianz cites several factors as causes for the increasing distraction, such as touchscreen operation, more complex in-car features, and so on.
That's why I'm a fan of classic cars (the Fiat 500 in the picture above is a pretty good example). Hardly any of these drivers are likely to be distracted by their cockpit. On the contrary, I'd argue that classic car drivers are particularly focused when driving their old cars through the city. After all, they're aware of their vehicle's significantly longer braking distance and are familiar with its technology.
Modern drivers, on the other hand, are bombarded with the sounds and visual cues from driver-assistance systems and have to navigate through menu hierarchies just to adjust the interior temperature or change the radio station.
