Distracted Driving: Week 2

It is week two of the National Safety Council‘s Distracted Driving Awareness month! Again we would like to dedicate this post to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for encouraging us to help spread the word on the dangers of Distracted Driving.

The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons‐Harris Interactive Survey Results

The survey results reveal how American drivers feel about multitasking, their own behavior behind the wheel as well as the choices of other drivers.

• Drivers are more likely to report observing distracted behaviors in other drivers than say they engage in the activity themselves, for instance, 99% report seeing other drivers talking on a cell phone and only 61% report that they have done this.
• Eighty‐seven percent (87%) said they have seen other drivers grooming themselves whereas only one out of five (18%) report that they have done this.
• Of the more than 1,500 driving‐age adults surveyed, NONE of them reported their own driving as unsafe. In fact, 83 percent claim to drive safely. And, yet they believe only 10 percent of other drivers drive “safely.”
• Although drivers are aware that distracted driving compromises the ability of others to drive safely, one in five (20%) agree that they are a good enough driver that they can do other things while driving without compromising [their driving ability].
• Among those who self‐reported distracted driving behaviors overall, 30‐44 year olds seem to be the worst offenders who most frequently admitted to eating or drinking, talking on a cell phone or reaching in the back seat of the car while driving.
• Many drivers who have experienced a near‐accident due to their own distracted driving behavior say they will continue the behavior that caused them to swerve or slam on the breaks to avoid an accident.
• The results showed that 94 percent of drivers in America believe that distracted driving is a problem in the U.S. and 89 percent believe it is a problem within their own communities.
• Drivers report that nearly half of all drivers (46%) say they encounter on a typical day are distracted driving.
• Nine out of ten drivers say that distracted driving is a very serious or serious problem among teenagers (90%) and young adults 20‐24 (86%).
• Half of all drivers think about their driving before they get behind the wheel.
• Virtually all (96%) of passengers say they sometimes or always mention a distracting behavior to the driver.
• Four out of five (81%) drivers have avoided an accident with another driver who appeared to be distracted while driving.
• Men (24%) are more likely than women (18%) to believe they can multi‐task while driving.

Thanks to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons for this week’s article!