A new study found that sexy-sounding GPS voices make men take more risks while driving. The research suggests that men are more likely to run through yellow traffic lights when guided by GPS women with higher-pitched voices. These voices, associated with youth and attractiveness, influence males to be more reckless. Researchers from Shanghai’s Fudan University noted, "Male risk-taking behaviors influenced by female voices can be dangerous when driving."
They suggest making the voices in GPS systems sound less feminine to make driving safer. The study involved two experiments: in the first, men in a driving simulator received instructions from either a low-pitched or high-pitched female voice. If the dude was listening to the high-pitched GPS voice when he came up to a yellow light, he was 40% more likely to run it than if the low-voice was talking. This study raises concerns about the safety implications of using sexy female voices in-car navigation systems.
Source: DailyMail