Motorists are now more aware of the distractions produced by cell phones, text messaging, and other electronic devices brought into the vehicle. There are also other distractions that drivers choose to engage in as well that are dangerous, such as eating and drinking, personal grooming, reading, and talking to passengers. These types of distractions often lead to accidents and are an important reason why everyone on the road needs to carry car insurance to pay for any damages that occur, whether they are at fault, or the victim.
There are four types of driver distraction:
- Visual - looking at something other than the road
- Auditory - hearing something not related to driving
- Manual - manipulating something other than the wheel
- Cognitive - thinking abut something other than driving
In many cases more than one of these types is involved, with both a sensory (eyes, ears, or touch) as well as a mental component. Distraction commonly occurs when a driver voluntarily diverts attention to something not related to driving that uses the driver's eyes, ears, or hands. Driver distraction is common in everyday driving and is often the cause of crashes.
Survey reveals some alarming statistics
A recent study that observed 100 drivers continually for a full year found that drivers were distracted between one-quarter and one-half of the time. In recent surveys, about two-thirds of all drivers reported using a cell phone while driving; about one-third used a cell phone routinely, about one-eighth of all drivers reported texting while driving, at least one driver was reported to have been distracted in 15% to 30% of crashes. In many crashes it is not known whether the distractions caused or contributed to the crash.
How does distraction affect driver performance?
Experimental studies show conclusively that distractions of all types affect performance on tasks related to driving. But experimental studies cannot predict what effect various distractions have on crash risk.
The limited research suggests that:
- Cell phone use increases crash risk to some extent but there is no consensus on the size of the increase
- There is no conclusive evidence on whether hands-free cell phone use is less risky than hand-held use
- Texting probably increases crash risk more than cell phone use
- The effects of other distractions on crash risk cannot be estimated with any confidence
There are no roadway countermeasures directed specifically at distracted drivers, however, discontinuing the practice of using a cell phone while driving could certainly reduce these risks, but if an accident occurs and the driver does not have car insurance coverage, they are likely to be fined and lose their driving privileges.
