Despite most smartphones having a “do not disturb” feature that could help reduce distracted driving, it is not widely used, the AAA has said.

New research from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety examined why drivers avoid using “do not disturb” features and how to overcome their objections.

“Distracted driving continues to be a major traffic safety concern,” said Dr David Yang, president and executive director of the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.

“Despite their potential to reduce distraction, smartphone technology-based countermeasures are not widely used by drivers. This study aimed to uncover how to encourage more people to use such features to stay focused on the driving task and improve safety.”

Drivers cited limited access to music and navigation as reasons not to activate “do not disturb” features.

This commonly held misconception underscores a lack of understanding of how this technology works, the AAA said, adding that current smartphone-blocking features allow music and navigation to be used when activated.

Other barriers mentioned by drivers in the research included not realizing these features were available or forgetting to turn them on.

Another overarching theme revealed in the study was drivers’ concern that they may miss an important call or text while driving.

However, the study found many drivers did favor “do not disturb” features that automatically turn on during stressful situations like heavy rain, snow, or traffic.

The AAA said the preference suggested that drivers are more inclined to use this feature to reduce distraction when there are greater demands on their attention.

The AAA has recommended the following to encourage the use of “do not disturb” features while driving:

  • Increase awareness through targeted public education campaigns
  • Integrate education of “do not disturb” features into driver training and licensing programs
  • Improve automatic activation and situational awareness features (i.e., recognizing when the user is a passenger versus a driver)
  • Use reminders and incentives to encourage drivers to use “do not disturb” features
  • Address misconceptions through in-app messaging
  • Leverage influencers to promote the use of this technology, especially to younger audiences