Vehicle infotainment systems can be dangerous because many common interactions create visual, manual, and cognitive distraction at the same time. These built-in screens and controls can draw a driver’s attention away from the road, hands from the wheel, and mental focus from driving.
At Fishwick & Associates PLC represents people injured in distracted driving crashes in Roanoke and throughout Virginia. Roanoke car accident attorney John P. Fishwick Jr. and our team help crash victims investigate how an accident happened and hold distracted drivers accountable for the harm they cause.
This guide explains what infotainment systems are, how they distract drivers, what Virginia law does and does not prohibit, and how injured drivers can pursue compensation after a crash caused by infotainment distraction.
If you were injured in a crash involving a distracted driver, call Fishwick & Associates PLC at (540) 345-5890 to discuss your case. Our team is ready to help you understand your legal options and pursue the compensation you may be entitled to.
What Do Infotainment Systems Actually Do?
When looking to buy a new car, you might be tempted by the advanced in-car infotainment systems on offer. These can do many things, from routing phone calls and messages to playing music, offering route guidance, and, when the vehicle is parked, video features. Modern systems also serve as the primary controls for vehicle climate settings, seat adjustments, and diagnostics.
Although these features can be convenient, they can also be highly distracting. Unlike older vehicles that only had a manual radio and a few physical knobs, today’s infotainment systems consolidate dozens of functions into a single touchscreen. That means drivers interact with these screens more often and for longer periods during every trip.
The more features a vehicle puts within reach, the more opportunities drivers have to interact with those features while driving. Infotainment systems are also marketed as an asset when buying a vehicle, with their features often seen as an alternative to using restricted devices such as cellphones.
Key Takeaway: Infotainment systems combine music, navigation, phone calls, climate controls, and apps into a single touchscreen hub. This consolidation increases the frequency and duration of driver interactions with the screen, creating more opportunities for distraction.
What Makes Infotainment Systems So Distracting?
Driver distraction falls into several categories, and many infotainment tasks can trigger all three simultaneously. This combination can increase crash risk more than many drivers expect.
Visual Distraction
Visual distraction occurs when a driver takes their eyes off the road. Infotainment screens require drivers to look at menus, read text, and locate on-screen controls. Looking away from the road, even briefly, can increase the risk of a crash. At highway speeds, a vehicle may travel a significant distance in just a few seconds while the driver’s attention is not fully on the roadway.
Manual Distraction
Manual distraction occurs when a driver removes one or both hands from the steering wheel. Touchscreen-based infotainment systems require tapping, swiping, and scrolling, all of which take a hand off the wheel. Unlike physical knobs and buttons, touchscreens provide no tactile feedback, so drivers must look at the screen while they interact with it.
Cognitive Distraction
Cognitive distraction occurs when a driver’s mental attention shifts away from driving, even while their eyes remain on the road. Selecting a playlist, composing a text through voice-to-text, or following turn-by-turn navigation directions all consume mental resources. Research shows that voice-activated infotainment commands still create significant cognitive distraction that impairs reaction time.
Key Takeaway: Infotainment systems cause visual, manual, and cognitive distraction at the same time. Even voice-activated controls do not eliminate cognitive load, so drivers should avoid nonessential infotainment tasks while the vehicle is moving.
Which Infotainment Tasks Are the Most Dangerous?
Not all infotainment interactions carry the same level of risk. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety has measured the visual and cognitive demand of specific in-vehicle tasks, and some are far more dangerous than others.
The following table summarizes likely distraction levels based on the three distraction categories and AAA’s findings:
| Infotainment Task | Visual Demand | Manual Demand | Cognitive Demand |
|---|---|---|---|
| Programming a navigation destination | High | High | High |
| Sending a text message via infotainment | High | High | High |
| Browsing or selecting music | Moderate | High | Moderate |
| Placing a phone call through contacts | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate |
| Adjusting climate controls on touchscreen | Low–Moderate | Moderate | Low |
| Using voice-activated commands | Low | Low | High |
Programming a navigation destination and composing text messages through the infotainment system consistently rank as the most dangerous tasks. AAA reported that programming navigation was the most distracting task and took an average of 40 seconds for drivers to complete.
Key Takeaway: Programming navigation and texting through infotainment systems are the most dangerous in-vehicle tasks.
How Do Infotainment Systems Affect Driving Performance?
When drivers interact with infotainment systems, their driving performance can decline in measurable ways. The effects go beyond simply “not paying attention” and include specific, documented impairments.
Infotainment distraction leads to:
- Slower reaction times: Drivers take longer to respond to sudden stops, lane changes, and pedestrians entering the roadway
- Impaired decision-making: The cognitive load of interacting with the system reduces a driver’s ability to assess and respond to developing traffic situations
- Increased likelihood of missing road hazards: Stopped vehicles, debris, potholes, and traffic signal changes are more likely to go unnoticed
- Lane deviation: Distracted drivers are more likely to drift out of their lane without realizing it
- Reduced situational awareness: Even after a driver finishes interacting with the infotainment system, residual cognitive distraction can impair attention for several additional seconds
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that 3,208 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes involving distracted drivers in 2024. Infotainment systems contribute to this problem because they are built into the vehicle and available for use at any time, unlike a phone that a driver might choose to put away.
Car Accident Attorney in Roanoke – Fishwick & Associates PLC
John P. Fishwick Jr., Esq.
John P. Fishwick Jr. is a nationally recognized Virginia car accident lawyer and trial attorney who represents injury victims in complex and high-stakes cases. A Roanoke native, he is the founder of Fishwick & Associates PLC and has decades of courtroom experience handling personal injury and wrongful death claims. Many of his cases are referred by other attorneys who trust him with their most challenging matters.
From 2015 to 2017, John served as the United States Attorney for the Western District of Virginia after being appointed by President Obama and unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate. He has been selected to Virginia Super Lawyers and Best Lawyers of America for multiple years and is admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court. John brings big-case experience and a strong track record to clients seeking accountability after serious car accidents across Virginia.
What Does Virginia Law Say About Infotainment Use?
Virginia does not have any law that specifically bans infotainment system use while driving. The closest statute is Virginia Code § 46.2-1077, which prohibits motor vehicles registered in the Commonwealth from being equipped with a television receiver that displays moving images visible to the driver while the vehicle is in motion. However, this statute includes broad exemptions that cover most infotainment functions.
Section 46.2-1077 exempts the following types of displays from its prohibition:
- Electronic displays used for vehicle navigation, mapping, or digital dispatch systems
- Closed-circuit video monitors used with dedicated cameras for rear-view systems
- Television receivers used by law enforcement or VDOT employees in government vehicles
- Visual displays that enhance or supplement the driver’s view forward, behind, or to the sides
- Vehicle information displays
- Visual displays used to view vehicle occupants
- Television-type equipment used exclusively for safety or traffic engineering information
- Factory-installed systems with interlock devices that disable moving images during driving tasks
The eighth exemption is particularly relevant because factory-installed systems may use interlock devices that prevent moving images from being visible to the driver during driving tasks. The statute does not, by itself, broadly prohibit non-video functions such as navigation, audio, phone, or climate controls.
Virginia does not restrict music browsing, climate control adjustments, or most other touchscreen interactions while driving. This reflects a difference compared to the state’s cell phone laws, which do restrict handheld phone use. A driver who spends 30 seconds scrolling through a music library on a built-in infotainment screen may not be violating a statute that specifically targets infotainment use, but the conduct can still support a negligence or reckless-driving argument if it makes the driver unsafe.
Without a Law Against Infotainment Systems, Can a Distracted Driver Be Held Liable in Virginia?
Yes. Even without a specific infotainment statute, a driver who causes a crash while using an infotainment system can be held liable under Virginia negligence principles and, in serious cases, the reckless driving law. A driver owes a duty of reasonable care to others on the road, and using an infotainment system in a way that impairs their ability to drive safely can breach that duty.
Virginia Code § 46.2-852 defines reckless driving as operating a vehicle in a manner that endangers life, limb, or property. A driver focused on their infotainment system who causes a serious crash could face both criminal reckless driving charges and civil liability for the injuries they caused.
Key Takeaway: Virginia’s general negligence and reckless driving laws apply to infotainment-related crashes even though no specific statute bans infotainment use. A driver who causes an accident while distracted by their screen can be held liable for resulting injuries and damages.
How Do You Prove Infotainment System Distraction After a Crash?
Proving that the other driver was distracted by their infotainment system requires a thorough investigation. Unlike cell phone use, which can sometimes be confirmed through phone records, infotainment interactions are harder to document. An experienced attorney can use multiple sources of evidence to build your case.
Common types of evidence used to prove infotainment distraction include:
- Police reports: Officers may note observations about the vehicle’s dashboard, screen activity, or the driver’s admission of distraction
- Eyewitness testimony: Passengers in either vehicle or bystanders may have seen the driver looking at or touching the screen
- Surveillance footage: Traffic cameras, dashcams, or nearby business security cameras can capture the moments leading up to the crash
- Vehicle infotainment data: Some modern systems may record user interactions, including commands, inputs, or screen activity, depending on the vehicle and available forensic tools.
- Event data recorder (EDR) information: The vehicle’s “black box” can provide critical data about what was happening in the seconds before and during the crash
What Is a Vehicle “Black Box” and How Is It Used?
Most modern vehicles are equipped with an event data recorder, commonly called a “black box.” EDR data can show vehicle information such as speed, braking-related data, crash data, restraint-system data, and other required or conditionally required elements. It generally should not be described as direct proof that an infotainment function was active unless a vehicle-specific forensic source confirms that.
Key Takeaway: Infotainment distraction may be proven through a combination of police reports, eyewitness accounts, surveillance footage, available infotainment data, and event data recorder information. Preserving this evidence quickly is essential because some data can be lost if not secured promptly.
What Compensation Can Virginia Crash Victims Recover?
Victims of infotainment-related distracted driving crashes in Virginia can pursue compensation for a range of damages. The specific amount depends on the severity of the injuries, the impact on the victim’s daily life, and the strength of the evidence linking the crash to the other driver’s distraction.
| Type of Damage | What It Covers |
|---|---|
| Medical expenses | Emergency treatment, surgery, hospitalization, rehabilitation, medication, and future medical care |
| Lost wages | Income lost during recovery and reduced future earning capacity |
| Pain and suffering | Physical pain, emotional distress, and diminished quality of life |
| Property damage | Vehicle repair or replacement, personal belongings damaged in the crash |
Virginia follows a “pure contributory negligence” rule, which means that if the injured driver is found to be even partially at fault for the crash, they may be barred from recovering any compensation. This makes it especially important to build a strong case that clearly establishes the other driver’s infotainment distraction as the cause of the crash.
Key Takeaway: Virginia crash victims can recover compensation for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and property damage. Virginia’s contributory negligence rule makes it critical to establish clear evidence that the other driver’s infotainment use caused the accident.
How Long Do You Have to File a Claim in Virginia?
Under Virginia Code § 8.01-243, most Virginia personal injury claims must be filed within two years after the cause of action accrues. Property-damage claims generally have a five-year limitations period. If you do not file a lawsuit within this window, you will generally lose the right to pursue compensation.
In infotainment distraction cases, acting quickly is especially important. Key evidence, including EDR data, infotainment system logs, and surveillance footage, can be lost, overwritten, or destroyed in the weeks and months following a crash. Contacting an attorney promptly helps ensure that this evidence is identified and preserved before it disappears.
Key Takeaway: Virginia generally gives crash victims two years to file a personal injury lawsuit, while property-damage claims generally have a five-year limitations period under Va. Code § 8.01-243.
Were You Hit by a Distracted Driver in Roanoke, VA?
Being injured by a driver distracted by a screen is a serious and preventable situation. In the aftermath, you are often left to manage medical bills, lost wages, and physical recovery, all while determining how to hold the at-fault driver accountable.
John P. Fishwick Jr. has decades of trial experience representing injury victims in Roanoke and throughout Virginia. Fishwick & Associates PLC handles car accident cases and fights to get clients the compensation they deserve. Call Fishwick & Associates PLC at (540) 345-5890 or visit the office at 30 Franklin Rd SW, Ste 700, Roanoke, VA 24011.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are infotainment systems legal to use while driving in Virginia?
Virginia has no law that specifically bans infotainment system use while driving. Virginia Code § 46.2-1077 restricts television displays visible to the driver but exempts navigation, camera, and most factory-installed infotainment functions. However, distracted and reckless driving laws still apply if infotainment use impairs driving.
What is the most dangerous thing to do on an infotainment system while driving?
Programming a navigation destination and sending text messages through the infotainment system carry the highest distraction levels. AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety research found that these tasks can demand a driver’s visual and cognitive attention for more than 40 seconds.
Can I sue a driver who was using their infotainment system when they hit me?
Yes. Even without a specific Virginia infotainment statute, a driver who was distracted by their infotainment system can be found negligent. Your attorney can use evidence of the distraction to establish that the driver breached their duty of care and caused your injuries.
What evidence proves an infotainment system caused my crash?
Key evidence includes event data recorder (“black box”) data, infotainment system interaction logs, police reports, eyewitness testimony, and surveillance camera footage. Preserving this evidence quickly after a crash is essential.
How long do I have to file a car accident lawsuit in Virginia?
Virginia’s statute of limitations for personal injury claims is two years from the date of the accident under Virginia Code § 8.01-243.
Are voice-activated infotainment commands safer than touchscreen controls?
Voice commands reduce visual and manual distraction because drivers do not need to look at or touch the screen. However, voice-activated systems still create significant cognitive distraction, which impairs reaction time and situational awareness.
What should I do right after a crash with a distracted driver?
Call 911 and seek medical attention. Document the scene with photos and note any visible screen activity by the other driver. Get contact information from witnesses. Then contact a personal injury attorney promptly so critical evidence, including infotainment logs and EDR data, can be preserved.
