“Did you know Distracted driving claims about eight lives per day — approximately 3,500 per year (CDC)” (Distracted driving statistics in 2023/the zebra). However, what are the main types of distracted driving? The main types of distracted driving are visual, cognitive, and manual distractions (Distracted driving statistics in 2023/the Zebra).
The first main distraction is a visual distraction. A visual distraction is looking at anything other than the road. Whether that is a cell phone, someone else in the car, or the scenery outside. “Texting is the most alarming distraction. Sending or reading a text takes your eyes off the road for 5 seconds. At 55 mph, that is like driving the length of an entire football field with your eyes closed” (Distracted Driving). Texting and driving also ties into the second and third main distractions as you are thinking about what you are reading and how you will respond, as well as removing one of your hands from the wheel to respond if you are not using “talk to text.”
The second main distraction is cognitive. Cognitive distraction could be conversing with someone else in the car or on the phone, daydreaming, or thinking about the million and one things you must do that day. Have you ever been driving somewhere you have traveled to a hundred times, and you park your car and think, “how did I get here?” It becomes an automatized evolution. Your mind and body do not have to think about what to do or how to get there; it is all just “muscle memory”. This type of automation can be a great example of cognitive distraction because you are not actively engaged in the task. It can cause your reaction time to be significantly slower because your mind is busy daydreaming or thinking about something else entirely.
The final main distraction while driving is manual distraction. Manual distraction involves anything that requires you to remove your hands from the wheel. Texting, eating, and fixing your makeup are all examples of manual distractions. If your hands are occupied with something else instead of being on the steering wheel, you are less likely to be able to avoid an accident if something around you happens. You are also more likely to jerk the wheel to avoid an accident if you are not fully engaged with the driving process.
To sum it up, avoid using your cell phone while driving despite the pressures you may feel to respond to a text message or email. Avoid all three distractions to help yourself and others on the road arrive alive. Nothing is worth your own life or the life of someone else. As an added tip, you could set your phone to “do not disturb” while driving so you do not see the notifications appear and feel pressured to respond. Let us make the roads safer.
References
Distracted driving statistics in 2023 | The Zebra (2023) Distracted Driving Statistics. Available at: https://www.thezebra.com/resources/research/distracted-driving-statistics/ (Accessed: 26 May 2023).
Distracted driving (no date) NHTSA. Available at: https://www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/distracted-driving (Accessed: 26 May 2023).
I had no idea how many lives distracted driving claimed per day. I think as technology becomes more prevalent in our lives, it could go one of two ways. The first way is that technology will distract us even more while driving. The second way is that it prevents us from distracted driving. The latter would be the most ideal option. In a study done in 2020, an artificial intelligence system that can be programmed into cars was researched (Sun, Qinyu et al.) This system is intended to recognize when a driver is cognitively distracted and prevent that from happening. I think that cars can adapt and create safety measures such as this in order to help prevent the lives lost from distracted driving every day. I agree with you, that we should avoid distracted driving as much as possible and not use our phones while driving. I think that we can get distracted enough unintentionally and using our phones and causing purposeful distractions just puts everyone else in danger.
References:
Sun, Qinyu et al. “Research on a Cognitive Distraction Recognition Model for Intelligent Driving Systems Based on Real Vehicle Experiments.” Sensors (Basel, Switzerland) vol. 20,16 4426. 7 Aug. 2020, doi:10.3390/s20164426
Distracted driving has been a growing problem for many years. As technology progressed, car companies started to put distracted driving safety features to “help drivers who have lapses in attention… and to head off potential dangerous situations” (Consumer Reports, 2017).
Personally, I am guilty of distracted driving, talking on the phone, looking at my phone for notifications, even eating while driving! Now fully knowing how dangerous this is, I do not take the risk and have a car that possesses the technology that can support a safer drive.
Newer cars are equipped with safety technology such as: forward collision warning, automatic emergency breaking, lane departure warning, and lane-keeping assist (Consumer Reports, 2017). All of these features can be life saving and help prevent distracted driving.
In the future, it will be exciting to see what other new technologies will be added to cars to help protect drivers from serious collisions.
References:
Reports, B. C. (2017, November 16). Technology That Can Reduce Driving Distractions and Their Dangers. Consumer Reports. https://www.consumerreports.org/car-safety/technology-that-can-reduce-driving-distractions-dangers-car-safety-features/