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Is Voice-To-Text Safer Than Texting While Driving?

Hogan Leatherwood

Is Voice-To-Text Safer Than Texting While Driving?

With the rise of hands-free technology, many drivers assume that voice-to-text apps are a safer alternative to traditional texting while behind the wheel. After all, if your hands stay on the wheel and your eyes stay on the road, it must be safer, right?

Unfortunately, research shows that this perception can be dangerously misleading.

Research Findings on Voice-to-Text Safety

A study by the Texas A&M Transportation Institute: Voice-to-text apps offer no driving safety benefit

revealed surprising results:

  • Drivers using voice-to-text applications had reaction times just as delayed as drivers typing text messages.
  • In some cases, voice-to-text users performed even worse because they had to correct transcription errors, taking more attention off the road.
  • The most dangerous part: many drivers felt safer while using voice-to-text, which created a false sense of security and encouraged riskier behaviors.

The AAA Foundation: 2021 Traffic Safety Culture Index (PDF) survey further highlighted the risks:

  • 35% of Americans admitted to reading text messages while driving.
  • 26% confessed to sending messages while behind the wheel.

In both cases, drivers underestimated the dangers and overestimated their ability to multitask.

The Reality of Distracted Driving

Distracted driving is not just about looking down at a phone. It includes anything that takes your eyes, hands, or mind off driving. This includes:

  • Typing or reading texts
  • Voice-to-text dictation
  • Eating and drinking
  • Adjusting GPS or music
  • Talking on the phone, even hands-free

According to national data, distracted driving accounted for 23% of all traffic accidents in 2011 — more than 1.3 million crashes. Today, with smartphone use even more widespread, the numbers remain troubling.

These accidents often result in serious injuries or fatalities, leading to claims involving:

Why Voice-to-Text Feels Safer But Isn’t

Many drivers believe that keeping their eyes on the road makes voice-to-text safe. The problem is cognitive distraction:

  • Even when looking straight ahead, your brain is partially focused on forming sentences, correcting errors, or checking whether the phone transcribed your words correctly.
  • This mental split can delay reaction times just as much as looking down at your phone.
  • Worse, the illusion of safety can make drivers overconfident and less cautious.

This false confidence is one reason why voice-to-text crashes continue to rise.

Texas law prohibits texting while driving and allows cities to impose additional restrictions. Even if voice-to-text feels like a legal workaround, it can still result in negligence claims if an accident occurs.

Drivers who cause accidents while using voice-to-text may face:

  • Traffic citations and fines
  • Civil liability for medical bills, lost wages, and property damage
  • Wrongful death claims in cases involving fatalities

Take Immediate Action: Contact Leatherwood Law

If you or a loved one has been injured by a distracted driver using texting or voice-to-text, act quickly to protect your rights. The attorneys at Leatherwood Law have recovered millions of dollars for accident victims across Texas.

📞 Call us at 1-877-664-6665
✉️ Email Intake@leatherwoodfirm.com

We provide free, no-obligation case evaluations and are committed to holding negligent drivers accountable.

Your health, your future, and your recovery matter.