Distracted Driving Statistics On The Rise As Technology Evolves

by | Jun 30, 2015 | Technology Featured

New studies are shedding some light on the statistics of distracted driving. It is no surprise that many car accidents are caused by distracted drivers. According to the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, 80 percent of all auto accidents are caused by drivers who are not paying complete attention to the road. This statistic ranks distracted driving behind drunk driving and speeding, but it still costs the American economy a whopping $66.5 billion a year. That’s a large price to pay just because people can’t put down their phones.

Now, it’s important to note that drivers can get distracted from more than just a conversation on their cell phones. The CDC defines distracted driving in three ways:

  • Visual: taking your eyes off the road
  • Manual: taking your hands off the wheel
  • Cognitive: taking your mind off of driving

So, that means there are plenty of other dangerous things people do while behind the wheel besides talk and text. During their study, the VTTI also identified the actions that are most commonly the reason for distracted driving:

  • Eating and drinking
  • Personal grooming
  • Reading
  • Watching a video
  • Adjusting a radio/MP3 player
  • Dialing a cell phone
  • Talking/listening to cell phone
  • Reaching for an object
  • Text messaging

The government has realized that a majority of these actions are tied to cell phone usage and have been striving to step up preventive laws and education. It is important that all drivers on the road understand their responsibility to keep our roads safe.

“Distracted driving and texting is not just a problem with beginner drivers. A majority of other drivers are also texting and using social media while behind the wheel,” explains practicing injury lawyer, Michael Ehline. “If you just glance around the highway, you will see many examples.”

Many states have banned text messaging and holding a cell phone while talking to help lower the rate of accidents. Other states are actually working to ban other cell phone uses while driving, such as using Facebooking and other popular apps. The use of Bluetooth and voice command devices are still legal for the most part, at least for now. As technology gets more and more advanced, experts are calling for a shift towards stricter regulations.

Unfortunately, instead of taking these dangers seriously, some drivers are looking for other ways to get around the laws. Tech innovations, such as the Apple Watch, are giving drivers a false sense of security from distracted driving. While usage of these types of hands-free devices are usually legal, many drivers are still getting in trouble with their use.

Just last month, Ontario news broke the story of a driver who was ticketed for using his Apple Watch while driving. Despite arguing that he wasn’t technically using a cell phone, authorities still cited a safety code that made the use of handheld devices illegal. The ruling created a sticky situation with the use of new hands-free technology.

“Stories like this are evidence that distracted driving legislation needs to change to evolve with our world of technology,” Ehline explains.

Ironically, some states are having trouble getting tougher laws against distracted driving passed. For example, in Texas a statewide texting-while-driving ban has been defeated three times by the state senate. The fight to pass the bill continues to this day. Fortunately, there was a law passed that bans drivers under the age of 18 from using any type of device. Just in 2013 alone, there was 94,000 distraction-related traffic accidents and most of them resulted in death or serious injuries.

“According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, more than nine people die in the United States everyday due to automobile crashes involving a distracted driver,” Ehline continues.

As technology continues to change, the laws will also need to change. Stricter legislation and proper education is the only way to protect innocent lives and keep roads safe and distraction-free.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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