Deadly Distractions: Why and How to Put the Brakes on Distracted Driving

Why multitasking and driving at the same time is a bad idea.

By Samuel Greengard

Posted Dec 4, 2007, at 1 p.m.

It’s easy to forget that driving an automobile is a complex task that requires a good deal of attention. Take your eyes off the road for even half a second and you could find yourself veering into another lane, blasting through a stop sign or smashing into the rear of another vehicle. Factor in the vast array of activities that now take place in an automobile — chatting on mobile phones, texting, fiddling with iPods and eating breakfast, to name a few — and it’s surprising that there aren’t more collisions.

"There is a long list of things that people do while driving cars and, unfortunately, many of them greatly increase the risk of having an accident,” says David Strayer, a professor of psychology and principal investigator at the University of Utah’s Applied Cognition Laboratory. “Although talking to a passenger or listening to the radio is safe for most motorists, talking on a cell phone and applying makeup is not." He has found that those who engage in dangerous activities are five times more likely to get into an accident. “The risk is comparable to a driver who is intoxicated with alcohol,” Strayer explains.

That’s a sobering thought. In California, approximately 2,300 motorists have been pulled over for watching DVDs and TVs while driving since 2003. In addition, video games, fax machines, audio systems, PDAs, notebook computers — even old-fashioned books and maps — present problems for motorists. Among teens, which often speed, tailgate, eschew seatbelts and can be easily distracted by their fellow passengers, the problem is particularly severe. The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) found that fatalities among 16- to 20-year-olds rose to 7,405 in 2004 — an increase of 152 over the previous year.

Inattention is a real problem, says Vicki Neale, director for Virginia Tech Transportation Institute’s Center for Automotive Safety. In 2005, she equipped more than 100 cars with video cameras and sensors in order to study driving habits — and found that motoring and multitasking do not mix. Over a one-year span, she discovered that driver error accounted for 90 percent of all vehicular crashes. What’s more, 80 percent of all crashes and 65 percent of all near-crashes involved the driver looking away from the forward roadway within three seconds of the event. "When something unexpected happens, many drivers are not prepared to deal with it," Neale says.

What can you do to minimize the risk of a collision? First, it’s wise to use technology that helps eliminate distractions. Today, a growing array of vehicles include voice-activated controls that manage an array of functions, including dialing on a cellular phone, operating the climate control system and audio, and managing a navigation system. This keeps your eyes on the road and your hands on the wheel. For those with older cars or vehicles that aren’t equipped with speech-recognition technology, a telephone headset or ear bud can eliminate the need to hold a device in one hand while steering with the other.

If you need to dial or enter data into the navigation system, it’s best to pull over to the side of the road. If you’re involved in an intense or stressful discussion, it’s also best to take a break. Strayer found that drivers sometimes wind up so preoccupied by conversations that they are "oblivious to things going on around them." Too often, "they plow through crosswalks and stop signs without realizing it," he explains. Finally, it’s essential to avoid DVDs, TVs, PDAs, newspapers, makeup or anything else that can divert your attention from the road.

Some states and municipalities are taking action. Already, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, New Jersey and New York have banned handheld phones while driving. California and Washington will join the list in 2008. Last May, Washington became the first state to ban text messaging while driving, and 16 states and the District of Columbia have special restrictions for novice motorists (California will prohibit the use of all electronic devices for drivers under age 18 beginning next July). In addition, 12 states have proposed laws limiting or outlawing the use of video games, fax machines, computers and DVD/TV monitors by drivers.

Auto designers, too, are focused on building more efficient and ergonomic controls to manage the array of devices and activities that now take place in automobiles. Meanwhile, many organizations are working to educate motorists, especially teens. “Before there is behavior change there must be awareness,” states Fairley W. Mahlum, a spokesperson for the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.

To be sure, the old adage “Keep your eyes on the road” is more important than ever. It could determine whether you reach your destination or become another statistic in a database.

Avoiding Distractions While Driving

Driving is an important responsibility. It takes just one mistake – or one mini-distraction – for a quick ride to the supermarket to have a life-altering impact. Unfortunately, many Americans choose to drive and engage in other attention-demanding activities at the same time. Here are three suggestions:

When you’re driving, focus on driving. Nothing is more important than your safety and the safety of others.

If you must speak on the phone, avoid doing so while you’re behind the wheel. Driving and talking on the phone, even with a headset or ear bud, is a distraction – and potentially dangerous.

If your vehicle is equipped with them, take advantage of voice-activated controls to manage a variety of functions, including dialing on a cellular phone, operating the climate control system, selecting a radio station and managing a navigation system.

Bio: Samuel Greengard is a veteran technology journalist based in West Linn, Ore. His articles have appeared in numerous publications, including Discover, Wired, American Way, Hemispheres, Acura Style, Ford Times, and the AAA publications Journey and Westways.

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