Distracted Driving in America: A Case Study
Common causes of road traffic crashes, related injuries and sometimes death are alcohol, lack of caution, adherence to restrictions and the refusal of commuters to wear seat belts. In recent times, however, distracted driving surfaced as a road safety concern. Distracted driving is an epidemic that seems to plague American roads. According to VA Tech Transportation Institute, distracted driving can be likened to driving blindfolded for about 5 seconds. In 5 seconds, a lot of bad things can happen and one of them is a crash. Car crashes are a worldwide problem. As at 2013, they accounted for over 1.3 million deaths yearly. What is distracted driving? As we are well aware, driving is an activity that requires one's full attention at all times. Distracted driving is any activity that takes a driver's mind off the road. In some cases, this leads to fatal crashes in which lives are lost and people sustain injuries. Such crashes are referred to as distraction-affected crashes if the driver was discovered or confirmed to have been distracted at the time the crash occurred. Technology is a major contributing factor to distracted driving. One common source of distraction for drivers is cell phones. When the phone rings, picking it up becomes a priority for the driver, at the expense of his safety. The lack of sense of responsibility on the part of the drivers is another factor. Cell phone use, a menace on the road
Just like driving, taking a call, checking emails, dialing numbers and texting are activities that require a considerable amount of concentration. A lot of people like to believe that they can multitask but multitasking involves putting a lot of thought into whatever combination of activities one is engaged in. Let's take a multitasking activity like reading and taking a call for example; it is nearly impossible to concentrate on the call or on the book you are reading. One has to give way for the other to be done effectively, it's either you put down the book to concentrate on the call or drop the call to concentrate on the book. Therefore, combining texting and driving, two activities that require undivided attention, the brain becomes unable to do either one of them effectively. When a driver is engaged in both activities at the same time, he/she may fail to see the traffic signal and therefore not be able to stop quick enough to prevent a crash with another vehicle (who may or may not engage in texting while driving). Another possible implication of texting while driving is delayed breaking time of the vehicle. When drivers are not focused behind the wheel, not only do they put themselves in danger but they also put other road users in danger, not to mention pedestrians who could also be victims if a crash were to occur. How harmful is texting while driving? Of course, texting is a dangerous thing to do while driving. We know this for sure but do we have any idea the level of harm texting and driving actually causes? First and foremost, texting while driving is under-reported. What that means is that unlike the alcohol test given to drivers who are suspected of drunk driving, the case is far more complex for drivers who text and drive. It is very easy for a driver to deny ever using his/her phone to text at a car crash site. Therefore, the data gathered on texting while driving doesn't actually reflect the exact number as just those who admitted or against whom evidence was found. According to the United States department of Transportation, 3,154 people were killed on American roads in distraction-related car crashes. It referred to distracted driving as an epidemic on American roads. Statistics for distracted driving National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in 2009 revealed that the U.S has 84% of distracted driving related fatalities which were grouped under the general classification of carelessness or inattentiveness while behind the wheel. Responsible driving It is not uncommon to see an American teenager driving with a cell phone either texting or receiving a call. Responsible driving is driving with the safety of other road users, bystanders and even yourself in mind. If the highly destructive problem of distracted driving (in whatever form it presents itself) will be curbed, then the habit of responsible driving should be embraced by drivers across all demographics. Teenagers are a special set of drivers that need extra supervision or training on the dangers of distracted driving. This is because they are at greater risk of getting into car crashes. Ins. Institute for Hwy Safety Fatality Facts reveals that 11 teen deaths every day have texting while driving as its cause. Texting while driving is the number one driving distraction reported by teen drivers. What's more? Texting is the most commonly used means of communication among teens. Vice President and General Manager – Heavy Duty Engine Business, Ed Pence noted in 2012 during a Teen Driver Safety Rally in Columbus that
crashes are the leading cause of deaths of teens in the U.S. this makes it expedient to get teens in high schools involved in preventive measures aimed at curbing distracted driving. Current laws against texting while driving In 2009, President Barak Obama signed an Executive Order which banned 4.5 million employees (federal government staff as well as the military) from texting while driving. Contractors and others who do business with the federal government were also encouraged to follow suit. The Government of the United States of America has put on ground certain laws to curb the menace of distracted driving – texting while driving. The U.S Department of Transport is one of the bodies on the forefront to put a stop to distracted driving most especially texting and use of cell phones behind the wheel. The National Transport Safety Board (NTSB), a federal safety board called for the nationwide ban of cell phone use and other texting mobile devices while driving. To this end, Infernal innovations have created a wide range of cell phone car mounts with the view to minimizing road crashes and keep American roads safe. Infernal innovation has different kinds of car phone mounts to fit your budget and style as well. "How does this work," you may ask. Cell phone mounts are fast changing the way drivers stay connected behind the wheel. With car phone mounts, you don't need to constantly reach down to pick up your phone when a call comes in. Car mounts or innovative car phone holders can be placed in car vents, dashboards and other areas of the car where they will be in view