Distracted Driving FAQs

 


How can a second make a difference in a life?

The cost of the brain switching back and forth multitasking could be a few tenths of a second per switch. When the brain switches repeatedly between tasks, these costs add up. Even small amounts of time spent switching can lead to risks from delayed reactions and braking time. For example, if a vehicle is traveling 40 mph, it goes 120 feet before stopping. This equals eight car lengths (an average car length is 15 feet). A fraction-of-a-second delay would make the car travel several additional car lengths. When a driver needs to react immediately, there is no margin for error.


Who comprises the largest number of distracted drivers?

The under-20 age group had the highest proportion of distracted drivers involved in fatal crashes (16%). The age group with the next greatest proportion of distracted drivers was the 20-to-29-year-olds (12%).


What’s the greater problem with distracted teens?

Of the 2,000 teens who were part of the Seventeen Magazine survey, 60% admit to talking on a cell phone while driving, with the reasons for doing so varying from: 41% think their action will only take a split second; 35% don’t think they’ll get hurt; 34% said they’re used to multitasking; and 32% don’t think that anything bad will happen to them.


What is the federal government doing about distracted driving?

Recently President Obama urged federal employees not to engage in text messaging while driving government-owned vehicles, or when using electronic devices supplied by the government while driving. This is a good start to eliminate the injuries and deaths related to use of electronic devices while driving.


What is inattention blindness and how does it affect distracted driving?

According to a white paper compiled by the National Safety Council, inattention blindness happens when a driver on a cell phone looks at, but fails to see, up to half of what’s around him. Distracted drivers miss vital cues which are critical to safety and navigation including going through red lights and stop signs and missing exits.


Can a driver multi task by talking on the phone and driving at the same time?

No. Multitasking impairs driving performance. When your brain experiences an increased workload, information processing slows down. A driver is much less likely to respond to unexpected hazards in enough time to avoid a crash. Others drivers’ behavior, bad weather, construction zones, pets, and objects in the roadway, are often the critical factor between a crash and a near-crash.


What can a manager of fleet vehicles do to reduce the number of work related accidents and keep costs down for employee driving injuries and damaged property?

  • Prohibit the use of cell phones and electronic devices while the vehicle is in motion. Educate employees about dangers and instruct them to let the phone go to voice mail and never to text while moving.
  • Tell employees not to eat and drink while the car is in motion unless another employee is driving. The better choice is to allow time to stop and eat or pull over and eat.
  • Tell employees not to adjust the controls while the car is moving.
  • Request that passengers not distract the driver and to avoid arguments and presentations.
  • Ask employees to groom themselves before driving or upon arriving at the destination.

Read more about what can be done to prevent distracted driving.  Or call us toll free at 888-217-9797 for your free consultation.