Introduction: What is Distracted Driving?

Distracted driving is when a driver is distracted by something other than driving.

Some examples of distracted driving are using a cell phone, talking on the phone, reading, applying makeup, eating or drinking, watching videos or movies, writing checks on the steering wheel (yes, I’ve actually seen this happen), interacting with passengers in the vehicle. It can also include other actions that divert attention from driving such as adjusting the stereo volume or trying to find something on the backseat.

The problem is that these distractions can lead to deadly accidents. These distractions have been known to cause up to 25% of all car crashes in recent years. Research shows that drivers who use one or more of these distractions are four times more likely to be involved in a collision. The United States National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that 3,859 people died and 416,000 were injured in crashes related to distracted driving during 2010. The US Department of Transportation has an excellent website detailing ways to combat distracted driving.

What are the Dangers of Texting While Driving?

The use of smartphones has become one of the biggest distracted driving dangers. Texting while driving is now recognized as a major threat to the safety of the driver and those around them. Most people don’t realize that texting while driving can be as dangerous as drunk driving. In fact, according to a study conducted by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute in 2017, drivers who text behind the wheel are 23 times more likely to be involved in crashes or near-crashes than those who do not text and drive.

Texting while driving is one of the most dangerous distractions for drivers because it takes their eyes off the road for extended periods. It also requires them to take their hands off the steering wheel and both feet off the pedals – really important things that drivers need if they’re going

Texting while driving is a risk to the driver and everyone around them. This is because texting takes the driver’s eyes off the road and hands off of the wheel. As a result, drivers often miss or misinterpret visual cues and obstacles on the road.

How to Reduce the Likelihood of Texting While Driving

Ways to reduce this risk:

  • Use the “Do Not Disturb While Driving Feature” of your iPhone or Android smartphone.
  • Oh, here’s a protip – Keep both hands on the wheel, and don’t use your phone while you’re driving your vehicle.

Solutions – How to Safeguard against Distract Driving

Regulation

Thirty-nine states and the District of Columbia (D.C.) have actually passed regulations related to distracted driving. In addition, 41 states, D.C., as well as Guam, have outlawed texting for all motorists, and 10 states, D.C. and Guam restrict motorists from holding phones while driving. However, current laws are not strictly enforced. Penalties are so mild that people pay little attention. Drivers are not categorically forbidden from using phones while driving. For instance, utilizing earphones to talk and texting with a hands-free device stay lawful.

Unfortunately, these laws have not always resulted in more compliance. Hand-held phone usage fell in New york city in the 5 months after the hands-free legislation worked. Nevertheless, it went back to near the prior level by the 16-month mark

Education

One more technique is through education and learning. The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), as well as NHTSA, conducted a collection of campaigns and projects, such as “One Text or Call Might Wreck It all”, “Quit the Texts, Quit the Wrecks” advertisement, and “Faces of Distracted Driving”. The “Quit the Messages, Stop the Wrecks” commercials support secure driving habits using vibrant circumstances, attempting to make the consequences of distraction extra substantial. The “Faces of Distracted Driving” is a DOT online video clip collection that focuses on people that have actually been personally impacted.

The mobile network suppliers AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile as well as numerous hundred other organizations have actually teamed up to develop the “It Can Wait” project, that began on May 20, 2013. The project is an effort to inform young motorists that no call or text is worth dying over.

Employers’ role

Some companies have taken actions to minimize distracted driving beyond present regulation; The military permits only hands-free use phones. Freight companies ban phone usage while driving. In October 2009, President Obama authorized an executive order outlawing government employees from sending out messages in federal government cars and trucks.

In 2020, the NTSB made clear that a solid firm policy, with stringent repercussions for making use of mobile electronic devices while driving, is a reliable method in helping to stop the deadly consequences of distracted driving.

Technology

Car manufacturers are providing control panels and also heads-up screens to permit driving info to be readily available without the chauffeur averting from the road. Voice-based user interfaces minimize distraction. Mobile applications may disable communication, limit access to applications or programs when the device remains in motion.

Toyota is dealing with perfecting innovation that will check vehicle drivers’ eyelids to guarantee that they are checking out the roadway. Other automobile makers are additionally servicing comparable innovation. For example, General Motors has a pilot program to check interruption. Also, Jaguar Land Rover checks the motorist’s eyes to produce the 3D picture for its “Digital Windshield.”

Cellebrite has actually supposedly developed a textalyzer gadget that can be made use of to scan a car driver’s smart device after a crash or occurrence to establish whether the phone was utilized to make phone calls, send text and/or e-mails when the automobile remained in motion.

Road implementations

Research studies have actually shown rumble road strips have actually been effective in minimizing crashes due to distracted driving. A rumble strip is a section of grooved sidewalk. When driven on, a rumble strip makes the vehicle shake as well as produces tire noise. It is planned to redirect the driver’s focus back when traveling. Rumble strips are presently one of the most effective approaches to lowering collisions. On rural lanes, rumble strips were verified to decrease accident injury from 38% to 50%, while on urban roads they were shown to lower it by 50% to 90%. In the USA, rumble strips exist in nearly all states.

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