Distracted Driving: A Recipe for Disaster

DID YOU KNOW? 

Each day in the United States, more than 9 people are killed and more than 1,060 people are injured in crashes that are reported to involve a distracted driver. Distracted driving is driving while doing another activity that takes your attention away from driving. Distracted driving can increase the chance of a motor vehicle crash.

There are three main types of distraction:

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

Distracted driving activities include things like using a cell phone, texting, and eating.Using in-vehicle technologies (such as navigation systems) can also be sources of distraction. While any of these distractions can endanger the driver and others, texting while driving is especially dangerous because it combines all three types of distraction.

How big is the problem? 

In the US, over 180 billion texts are sent every month. In 2016 alone, 3,450 people were killed. 391,000 were injured in motor vehicle crashes involving distracted drivers in 2015.

The NHTSA estimates that every day 660,000 drivers use electronic devices while behind the wheel.

Texting can make vehicle accidents 23 times more likely to happen.

Distractions from texting outweigh distractibility from other activities, such as talking with a passenger, adjusting the sound system or talking on a cell phone.

The facts dispute this belief, as every day over 9 people are killed and over 1,153 people are injured every day in the United States as a result of distracted driving.

Are you part of the ongoing trend or a part of the solution?