Deep in thought while driving: An EEG study on drivers’ cognitive distraction

•We collected EEG and behavioral data from a vehicle simulator from 42 participants.•Behavioral data showed decreased driving performance during distractor task.•EEG data suggested that math tasks affected the right frontal lobe.•EEG data also suggested that decision making tasks affected the left frontal lobe.•Theta and beta EEG bands were significantly affected by the distractor task.