Distracted Driving – America’s Epidemic
Distracted Driving
 In 2010 distracted drivers caused:
• 3,092 deaths
• 416,000 injuries
 Overall:
• Cell phones are #1 driver distraction in US
• 80% accidents due to driver distraction within 3 seconds of
crash
• Drivers using cell phones are 4X as likely to have an injury
related crash
• Same as DUI = .08% BAC
• Drivers under 20 years old have highest % of fatal crashes
due to distracted driving
• 2/3 of victims are NOT the teen driver
Cell Phones Cause Multiple Distractions
 Types of distraction
• Cognitive
• Visual
• Manual
 Cell phones cause all 3 types of distraction
• Reduce cognitive brain activity needed for driving by 37%
• Conversation reduces brain’s ability to notice visual cues =
inattention blindness
• The deeper the level of thought, the less a driver focuses on
surroundings
• Drivers less likely to:
• Scan for hazards
• Absorb critical information
• Make correct decisions
• React appropriately
How Driving Behavior is Affected
 Hands free or not, cell phone users are:
• 9% slower to brake
• 19% slower to resume normal speed after braking
• 24% variable in following distance
 Cell phone users also:
• Drift
• Miss signs, signals, exits, brake lights
• Leave the roadway
• Experience high G-force event:
• Hard braking
• Hard steering
• Rapid acceleration
Texting
• Risk of accident 23X greater than talking on cell phone
• Eyes off road for 2 seconds doubles chance of accident
• Text takes eyes off road average of 4.6 seconds
• At 55 mph a car travels the length of a football field with driver’s
eyes off road
• Typical teen sends and receives 100 texts per day
Please take out
your cell phones
THE
CHASED THE
AT
INSTEAD OF A
They brought back…
3
7
and 1
What happened in 4.6
seconds?
Other Types of Distraction
 Activities drivers report doing while driving:
• 86% eat and drink
• 41% set or change GPS
• 36% read maps, books, newspaper, etc.
• 20% comb or brush hair
• 14% put on make up
• 13% surf the internet
 Other types of distraction:
• Activity from pets or children
• Adjusting radio/CD/air
• Searching for an item
• Insects
• Fatigue
AAA Teen Specific Data
• Teen girls 2X as likely as teen boys to use electronic devices
while driving
• Teen boys 2X as likely as teen girls to turn around in seat and
communicate with people outside vehicle
• Loud conversation and horseplay more than 2X as likely to
occur with multiple teens in vehicle
• Increases in serious incident
• Horseplay – 2X
• Loud conversation – 6X
• All forms of distracted driving increase in older vs. younger teen
drivers
Teens Aren’t the Only Culprits…….
•
Vast majority of adults far overestimate their ability to multi-task
AAA study shows:
• 69% drivers talked on cell while driving in past month
• 89% believe other drivers on cell phones are a threat to their
personal safety
•
For 98% of the population, likelihood of crash while using a
cellphone increases 4X
•
State Farm study shows:
• 53% parents admit to phone distraction while teaching teens to
drive
• 61% teens say parents are distracted by phone while teaching
teens to drive
•
Consumer Reports study shows:
• 48% teens say parents talk on cell while driving
• 15% teens say parents text and drive
• Both despite telling teens not to do the same
Parents Play an Important Role
 Talk to you teen
• Only 22% of parents talk to their teens about safe driving
after teens get a license
• Teens who do not text and drive report having frequent talks
with parents about safe driving – 82% vs. 67%
• Encourage teens to speak up
• Only 1/3 teens would say something to a driver who is
texting or talking on a cell phone vs. 50% adults
 Be the example
 Know the PA law
 Make the pledge
StreetSafe recommends:
 Silence your phone
 Put it in glove box
 Play it safe for yourself and your family
The Driving Environment Has Changed
 More vehicles
• 254M today
• Average increase of 3.69M each year since 1960
 More larger vehicles
• 92% light duty trucks
 Trucks
• 2M today
• Move 70% freight across US
• Tonnage expected to increase 30% by 2018
• 600,000 more trucks needed
• Car/truck accidents - don’t blame the professionals
 Congestion
• In 2011 Americans traveled 5.5 billion additional hours
• 2.9 billion gallons of fuel
• $121 Billion
The Driving Environment Has Changed
 US Roads
• Highway lane miles grew only 3.5% since 1980
• Deteriorating road conditions
• Wear and tear on vehicles
• Increased accidents and delays
• Increased number of construction zones
 Higher average speed vs. decade ago
• 7 out of 10 drivers exceed speed limit
• Only 1 out of 10 speed zones have 50% compliance
• Average of 12 mph over legal limit
 Aggressive Driving
• Speeding
• Lane weaving
• Improper passing
• Tailgating
• Running red lights and stop signs
The Driving Environment Has Changed
 Road Rage
• Gestures
• Engaging another driver through hostile behavior
 Aggressive driving and road rage cause 1500 deaths per year
 Primary causes:
• More time in vehicle
• Frustration
• Anonymity
• False sense of safety
• Power associated with vehicle
• Most people do not recognize their own behavior
 Distractions
Preparing Your Teen To Drive Safely
 Provide more experience
• More time BTW, 100 - 120 hours before testing for a junior license
• Greater variety of settings and conditions
• Maintain the learners permit for 1 full year
 Set rules to minimize distractions
• No other teen passengers for first 6 months after getting a junior
license
• No use of cell phones or any electronic devices
 Take the training process seriously
• Start early
• Get help
• Sign parent teen contract
• Be consistent in your attitude
• Clean up your own driving habits
 Remember that driving is a privilege not a right
Questions and Answers