Distracted Driving

In 2008, nearly 6,000 people died and more than 500,000 were injured nationwide in crashes that resulted from drivers using a cell phone or engaging in other distracted behavior.

Distracted driving is any non-driving activity a person engages in that has the potential to distract him or her from the primary task of driving and increase the risk of crashing.

http://www.distraction.gov/content/get-the-facts/facts-and-statistics.html

Distracting activities include:

• Texting
• Using a cell phone
• Eating and drinking
• Talking to passengers
• Grooming
• Reading, including maps
• Using a PDA or navigation system
• Watching a video
• Changing the radio station, CD, or MP3 player.

These activities produce three major types of distraction:

• Visual — taking your eyes off the road
• Manual — taking your hands off the wheel
• Cognitive — taking your mind off what you’re doing

Ray LaHood, US Secretary of Transportation, says “Every single time you take your eyes off the road or talk on the phone while you’re driving- even for just a few seconds- you put your life in danger. And you put others in danger too. This kind of behavior is irresponsible- and the consequences are devastating.” See what else he has to say about distracted driving:
http://www.distraction.gov/content/about-us/message-from-secretary-LaHood.html

CELL PHONE USE + DRIVING = DANGER!

One of the most commonly recognized and potentially dangerous distractions is cell phone use.

Cell phone use seriously impairs your ability to drive:

• 18% slower to react to brake lights
• 17% longer to regain speed lost when braking
• impaired reactions involved seconds, not just fractions of a second
• stopping distances increased by car-lengths

U.S. Secretary of Transportation, Ray LaHood, wants to ban all cell phone use while driving
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/04/27/usa-driving-idUSL2E8FQOK820120427

The National Safety Council estimates that 28% of all crashes in 2008 involved talking on cell phones and texting (that’s 1.6 million crashes)
http://www.nsc.org/news_resources/Resources/Documents/NSC%20Estimate%20Summary.pdf

Drivers using cell phones are four times as likely to get into a crash that causes injuries serious enough to send them to the hospital.

Dialing a phone while driving increases the risk of a crash as much as six times.
See “Distracted Driving Shatters Lives” Brochure: http://www.distraction.gov/content/get-involved/downloads.html

U.S. Safety Board determines all cell phone use in cars is dangerous- Urges Cellphone Ban for Drivers
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/14/technology/federal-panel-urges-cellphone-ban-for-drivers.html?_r=2&ref=nationaltransportationsafetyboard 

Using hands-free vs. hand-held cell phones will not necessarily improve safety

• Texting while driving increases the collision risk by 23 times.
• Texting and emailing have grown significantly in the past few years- involved in 200,000 crashes in 2008 and today the number is probably even greater
• While text messaging, drivers spend up to 400% more time with their eyes off the road than they do when not texting (http://www.nsc.org/safety_road/Distracted_Driving/Documents/The%20effects%20of%20text%20messaging%20on%20young%20novice%20driver%20performance.pdf)

Teens are at greatest risk of injury from distracted driving:

Younger, inexperienced drivers under 20 years old have the highest proportion of distraction-related fatal crashes

Teens are less experienced drivers and at  higher risk of having an accident if distracted

Put a 20 year old behind the wheel with a cell phone, their reaction times are the same as a 70 year old not using a cell phone….it is as if a large number of drivers were instantly turned into senior citizens

Teens using cell phones are less adept than drunk drivers with a blood alcohol level of 0.08.

Young adult drivers (16-24) are more likely to talk on cell phones while driving than older drivers and the practice is increasing:

• 86% of students in one college survey said they talk on the phone while driving

Distracted Driving Simulator Game:

Do you overestimate your ability to multitask behind the wheel?  Try the distracted driving simulator games from the New York Times and see how you do.

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/07/19/technology/20090719-driving-game.html

Distracted Driving Videos:

Watch some videos that will drive home the consequences of cell phone use while driving.

Listen to how some teens and their families have been impacted by distracted driving and you’ll never pick up a cell phone while driving again
(http://www.distraction.gov/content/faces/index.html)