How Much Of A Problem Is Distracted Driving?

May 15, 2011

A recent USA Today article discusses the question of distracted driving and the recent publicity campaign by the Department of Transportation (DOT), including the personal presence of Secretary Ray LaHood.

DOT has created a website www.distraction.gov, focused solely on the issue of distracted driving. The USA Today points to Toyota spending $50 million to research the issue.

Yet the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) says there's no evidence that distracted driving is leading to more crashes or that laws banning texting or handheld cells are having any effect, possibly because hands-free phones can be just as dangerous.

There are also questions about how reliable the data is that many of these studies are using. Part of the problem is the states vary in how they collect crash data, and divers in accidents may not be honest when self-reporting if they were texting or even talking on a cell phone.

Studies by IIHS seem contradictory where they show a four-fold increase in crash risk by using a cellphone, but at the same time, their research fails to show an overall increase in crashes that matched the growth of cellphone use in the last decade.

And while there may be problems with some of the data, there is still a problem. The question is does it warrant the high-profile publicity over other, better known and understood problems, such as getting drivers to use seat belts and child safety car seats.

Just The Beginning?

The story notes the increase in text messages from 7 billion in 2005, to 173 billion in 2010. With the increase in "smart phones" that permit ever more kinds of distraction, from viewing email to watching movies, there is more potential for far more distracting distractions.

Secretary LaHood's focus may be attributed to a fear what we are seeing is merely the tip of the iceberg and data inconsistency may be more like the water hiding the majority of the iceberg. It appears LaHood is genuinely concerned with the potential impact of the ever growing list of electronic distractions that are swamping the driver.

You can surf the web on your smart phone, watch a movie on your iPad, listen to your satellite radio, watch for instructions to turn from your GPS. While each of these devices provides a useful service, they are all distracting from the core business of driving a vehicle.

LaHood clearly sees the department's push as a way of getting out in front of the issue. He say, "A generation ago, our society often turned a blind eye to people who would drink and drive, or not use a seatbelt, or maybe both. Those problems taught us a valuable lesson: We need a combination of strong laws, tough enforcement, and ongoing public education, to make a difference."

Article provided by Novak, Robenalt & Pavlik, L.L.P
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