Distracted Driving

Millions of motorists own cell phones and because of the time spent in their vehicles, more and more use them while they are driving. The commute is an opportunity for motorists to catch up with friends, make plans and check on family and kids during the ride home or elsewhere. 

A recent national survey found that:

• roughly 3 out of every 4 motorists say they talk on the phone in their cars
• 1 in 5 admits to text messaging behind the wheel. 

Drivers who use cell phones are four times more likely to be in a crash. According to the National Safety Council, at least 23% of all traffic crashes - or 1.2 million crashes - each year involve drivers talking and texting on cell phones.

Cell phones delay driver reactions as much as having a blood alcohol concentration at the legal limit of .08.  According to the Harvard Center for Risk Analysis, driver using cell phones are responsible for 636,000 crashes and 2,600 deaths each year.

Hand-Held vs. Hands-Free

Safety experts point out that talking on cell phones distract drivers from paying full attention to driving.  While more drivers are turning to hands-free devices, many studies have concluded that hands-free devices are not any safer to use while driving. 

Drivers talking on a cell phones, both hand held and hands-free, look but often fail to see what's around them.

• cannot recall what they've seen
• are more likely to miss traffic signals, signs and exit ramps

Drivers talking cell phones miss half of the information in their driving environment.

Cell Phone Policy

Driver distractions cost the U.S. economy $3.58 billion a month. According to a AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety survey, 70% of respondents reported talking on a cell phone while driving in the previous 30 days. 

Policies become personal habits. In an effort to protect employees and their bottom line, many employers are implementing corporate cell phone bans which prohibit employees from using cell phones while driving.  These policies can protect employees and their families both on, and off-the-job.

For more information on distracted driving visit distracteddriving.nsc.org