The Second Nature of Drivers: Distracted Driving

Distracted driving has slowly become second nature to drivers. Smartphones and voice-activated devices have put drivers into habit of multitasking. With an all-in-one communications, entertainment, and information device at the palm of your hands, the temptation to look down is higher than ever before.

Whether you’re stopped at a red light, sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic, or cruising down the highway at 70 MPH, checking your smartphone is dangerous at any point in time while behind the wheel.

Cell phones aren’t the only things increasing the statistics around distracted driving; there are a number of equally dangerous diversions taking focus away from the road, such as Smoking, Eating or Drinking, Passenger Distractions, Personal Grooming, Rubbernecking in crash or work zones, Adjusting the radio, and more.

In the span of only one year, over 14,000 motor vehicle accidents caused by distracted drivers were reported in the state of Philadelphia – making it the second leading cause for car crashes. 14,805 auto accidents were due to drivers not paying attention to the road. That equals approximately 40 crashes per day – and these numbers only represent a single state.

Even without the statistics above, the dangers of distracted driving are well-known. “Phones and other distractions are the cause of about a quarter of all crashes on American roads, but has knowledge of this risk actually stopped you or your neighbors from taking that call, answering that text, or posting that Facebook status? We’ve all noticed – the answer is ‘no.’”

With hopes to bring distracted driving to an end, the partnership for distraction-free driving made up of the National Safety Council, Safe Roads Alliance and many other organizations, have launched a petition. The petition encourages social media companies to do the following:

1. Implement a warning sign upon opening apps;
2. Issue a public statement that these companies do not condone the use of social media while driving;
3. Partner with highway safety advocates to develop policies to discourage the use of social media while behind the wheel.