From Occupation Health and Safety Online:
The study of 20 young drivers showed they were more likely to miss lane changes and to vary their lane position and following distances when texting as they drove.
Aug 31, 2009
Two new articles published in Human Factors: The Journal of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society examine the effects of texting while driving and the influence of a training video that shows drivers the problems associated with distracted driving. Training videos are beneficial, the latter article states, while the texting study of 20 young drivers showed they were more likely to miss lane changes and to vary their lane position and following distances.
Authors Simon G. Hosking, Kristie L. Young, and Michael A. Regan of the Defence Science and Technology Organisation of Australia's Department of Defence measured how long 20 young novice drivers texting with a cell phone spent not looking at the road and found the time was as much as 400 percent greater than during non-texting conditions. Drivers' variability in lane position increased up to about 50 percent, missed lane changes rose by 140 percent, and variability in following distances to lead vehicles rose by about 150 percent.
The second study evaluated the impact of a computer-based training module about distractions on drivers' attitudes and behaviors. Forty drivers ages 18 to 20 were divided into a training group and a control group that viewed an unrelated video. Drivers performed in-vehicle tasks while driving an instrumented vehicle on a closed test track. The researchers found drivers in the training group showed a decline in their ratings of willingness to engage in distracting activities and a corresponding increase in perceived risk. They also were more likely to perform in-vehicle tasks while the vehicle was parked than were drivers in the control group, whose ratings had not changed. This paper, "Effects of a Computer-Based Training Module on Drivers' Willingness to Engage in Distracting Activities," was prepared by Liberty Mutual's William J. Horrey, Mary F. Lesch, Arthur F. Kramer, Ph.D., and David F. Melton.
Both articles are available through OnlineFirst, a feature offered through SAGE's electronic journal platform, SAGE Journals Online.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Shocking Stats on Texting While Driving
From CBS News:
When I think about all the possible dangers associated with technology (cyberbullying, sexting, inappropriate material, online and game addiction and even the remote chance of being harmed by a predator), nothing strikes me as scarier than texting while driving.
A recently released study (PDF) by the VirginiaTech Transportation Institute found that truck drivers who were texting were 23 times more at risk of a "crash or near crash event" than "nondistracted driving." As per talking on a cell phone, the same study found no increased risk for truck drivers and 1.3 times the risk for car drivers. There was considerably more risk associated with dialing while driving. The institute's Richard Hanowski acknowledges that the numbers are likely to be different with car drivers. As reported by CNET's Jennifer Guevin, the study also found that "texting took a driver's focus away from the road for an average of 4.6 seconds--enough time...to travel the length of a football field at 55 mph."
A December 2007 simulator study by Clemson University found that "text messaging and using iPods caused drivers to leave their lanes 10 percent more often."
Paul Green, research professor at University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute who has done a decade's worth of research on driver distraction, said "from the science so far, it's very clearly a problem. We don't have exact statistics yet, we have enough information to say that texting shouldn't be permitted while driving."
The New York Times has created an interactive game that measures how reaction time is affected by distractions.
Teens at biggest risk
When it comes to texting while driving, teens are a particular risk group considering that, according to Nielsen (PDF), "The average U.S. mobile teen now sends or receives an average of 2,899 text-messages per month" and apparently some of those texts are being sent and read from behind the wheel.
A 2007 study conducted by AAA and Seventeen magazine has been widely misquoted as 46 percent of teens admit to texting while driving. But what the study found is that "61 percent of teens admit to risky driving habits." Forty-six percent of that 61 percent say that they text message while driving.
This issue is in the news a bit more than usual these days because of a shocking video created by a police department in the UK. It depicts a teenage girl texting while driving followed by a terrible crash with gruesome results for her friends in her car and the family whose car she hit. Before viewing the video (scroll down) please be aware that it is graphic and very disturbing. And before forwarding it to a teenager, also be aware that many youth risk prevention specialists question the effectiveness of videos that try to use shock value to change teen behavior.
Shock videos can backfire
Russell Sabella, professor of counseling in the College of Education, Florida Gulf Coast University, says that "While there is some research that shows that some students can be sensitized to potential consequences from videos like it, there is also evidence that students get emotionally aroused in the short term but desensitize in the long term. He said "some students get reinforced by the message that this happens to others but 'it won't happen to me.'"
Professor Sabella "would rather see a video with more positive role modeling such as someone who turns off their phone before they drive or perhaps uses a "designated texter"--someone else in the car who can do the texting for you." If a shock video is going to be used, he said "is has be of a comprehensive effort which includes kids, parents, teachers, legislators, and authorities."
"A more effective approach," said Patti Agatston from the Marietta, Ga.-based
Prevention/Intervention Center, "might be to have teens involved in creating a public service announcement that include positive messages about looking out for themselves and the people they care about by not texting and driving." Agatston says that it's "helpful for youth to receive consistent and repeated messages from a variety of sources, including their peers and parents or guardians."
Don't just forward this to your kids
Indeed, if you are going to show this video to your kids, I suggest you watch it with them or, better yet, assemble a group of teens to watch it together and discuss it among themselves. What their peers say will have a bigger impact than what you say. You can view the video here:
When I think about all the possible dangers associated with technology (cyberbullying, sexting, inappropriate material, online and game addiction and even the remote chance of being harmed by a predator), nothing strikes me as scarier than texting while driving.
A recently released study (PDF) by the VirginiaTech Transportation Institute found that truck drivers who were texting were 23 times more at risk of a "crash or near crash event" than "nondistracted driving." As per talking on a cell phone, the same study found no increased risk for truck drivers and 1.3 times the risk for car drivers. There was considerably more risk associated with dialing while driving. The institute's Richard Hanowski acknowledges that the numbers are likely to be different with car drivers. As reported by CNET's Jennifer Guevin, the study also found that "texting took a driver's focus away from the road for an average of 4.6 seconds--enough time...to travel the length of a football field at 55 mph."
A December 2007 simulator study by Clemson University found that "text messaging and using iPods caused drivers to leave their lanes 10 percent more often."
Paul Green, research professor at University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute who has done a decade's worth of research on driver distraction, said "from the science so far, it's very clearly a problem. We don't have exact statistics yet, we have enough information to say that texting shouldn't be permitted while driving."
The New York Times has created an interactive game that measures how reaction time is affected by distractions.
Teens at biggest risk
When it comes to texting while driving, teens are a particular risk group considering that, according to Nielsen (PDF), "The average U.S. mobile teen now sends or receives an average of 2,899 text-messages per month" and apparently some of those texts are being sent and read from behind the wheel.
A 2007 study conducted by AAA and Seventeen magazine has been widely misquoted as 46 percent of teens admit to texting while driving. But what the study found is that "61 percent of teens admit to risky driving habits." Forty-six percent of that 61 percent say that they text message while driving.
This issue is in the news a bit more than usual these days because of a shocking video created by a police department in the UK. It depicts a teenage girl texting while driving followed by a terrible crash with gruesome results for her friends in her car and the family whose car she hit. Before viewing the video (scroll down) please be aware that it is graphic and very disturbing. And before forwarding it to a teenager, also be aware that many youth risk prevention specialists question the effectiveness of videos that try to use shock value to change teen behavior.
Shock videos can backfire
Russell Sabella, professor of counseling in the College of Education, Florida Gulf Coast University, says that "While there is some research that shows that some students can be sensitized to potential consequences from videos like it, there is also evidence that students get emotionally aroused in the short term but desensitize in the long term. He said "some students get reinforced by the message that this happens to others but 'it won't happen to me.'"
Professor Sabella "would rather see a video with more positive role modeling such as someone who turns off their phone before they drive or perhaps uses a "designated texter"--someone else in the car who can do the texting for you." If a shock video is going to be used, he said "is has be of a comprehensive effort which includes kids, parents, teachers, legislators, and authorities."
"A more effective approach," said Patti Agatston from the Marietta, Ga.-based
Prevention/Intervention Center, "might be to have teens involved in creating a public service announcement that include positive messages about looking out for themselves and the people they care about by not texting and driving." Agatston says that it's "helpful for youth to receive consistent and repeated messages from a variety of sources, including their peers and parents or guardians."
Don't just forward this to your kids
Indeed, if you are going to show this video to your kids, I suggest you watch it with them or, better yet, assemble a group of teens to watch it together and discuss it among themselves. What their peers say will have a bigger impact than what you say. You can view the video here:
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Software developers get into the game to stop texting while driving
From Smartbrief.com:
While federal and state regulators are stepping up efforts to address the dangers of distracted driving, software makers are rushing to create new cell phone applications to minimize the risks of texting while driving. Technology firms are developing programs that can disable the phone's keypad or intercept incoming calls and texts as well as block outgoing messages while the car is moving. Wall Street Journal, The (08/26)
While federal and state regulators are stepping up efforts to address the dangers of distracted driving, software makers are rushing to create new cell phone applications to minimize the risks of texting while driving. Technology firms are developing programs that can disable the phone's keypad or intercept incoming calls and texts as well as block outgoing messages while the car is moving. Wall Street Journal, The (08/26)
Driving under the influence of texting: Will a new PSA video change texting behavior?
From Examiner.com:
Texting while driving hits a little too close to home. My favorite cousin’s 17-year-old granddaughter died while driving and texting. Distracted, she hit a tree and was killed instantly. Her devastated family and friends miss her.
Last weekend, New York police ran a 24-hour crackdown on drivers texting or talking on the phone (which is similarly dangerous). They wrote 7,432 tickets, compared to 580 on a typical day.
Cell phones are almost a body part. Compared to 254 million registered vehicles, there are more than 270 million cell phone subscribers. Cell phone companies subtlety market hands-free cell phone use in cars. What is your incentive to text while driving?
• Running late?
• Responding to a text?
• Need GPS driving directions?
• Bored while driving somewhere?
• Tweeting to update your Facebook page?
The Gwent Police Department in Wales produced a 30-minute video entitled “COW — The Film That Will Stop You Texting and Driving,” for British high schoolers showing the consequences of texting while driving.
Too explicit to show on U.S. TV, this public service announcement has gone viral. More than 1.5 million people around the world have now viewed the film. Given the content of some reality shows, maybe this graphic, reality video needs to be aired in prime time. It’s hard hitting, but so are the real-life consequences of distracted driving. Is this PSA about texting while driving too graphic?
Are you aware of the driving-while-texting dangers? You may believe you can text responsibly while driving, but scientific evidence shows you cannot. Who should you trust? Yourself or the statistics?
18 sobering 'driven-to-distraction' statistics
1. The risk of crash or near crash event when text messaging is 23.2 times as high as non-distracted driving.
2. Texting while driving slows reaction time 35 percent - making it more dangerous than driving while high or drunk. Yet 48 percent drivers under 25 have done it.
3. Increases chances of having an accident by four times.
4. Up to a quarter of the estimated 40,000 vehicle fatalities in the U.S. annually may be traced back to distracted drivers texting.
5. An AAA reported that 95 percent of drivers polled acknowledge texting while driving is dangerous, 21 percent of them have done it recently anyway.
6. A recent study revealed texting and driving is actually more dangerous than drinking and driving since the reaction time for a texter was longer than for someone legally drunk at 0.08.
7. Despite the risks, the majority of teen drivers ignore cell phone driving restrictions.
8. In 2007, driver distractions, such as using a cell phone or text messaging, contributed to nearly 1,000 crashes involving 16- and 17-year-old drivers.
9. Over 60 percent of American teens admit to risky driving, and nearly half of those that admit to risky driving also admit to text messaging behind the wheel.
10. Each year, 21% of fatal car crashes involving teenagers between the ages of 16 and 19 were the result of cell phone usage. This result has been expected to grow as much as 4% every year.
11. Almost 50% of all drivers between the ages of 18 and 24 are texting while driving.
12. Teens say that texting is their number one driver distraction.
13. One-fifth of experienced adult drivers in the United States send text messages while driving.
14. A study of dangerous driver behavior released in January 2007 by Nationwide Mutual Insurance Co. found that 19 percent of adult motorists say they text message while driving.
15. In 2002, the Harvard Center for Risk Analysis calculated that 2,600 people die each year as a result of using cellphones while driving. They estimated that another 330,000 are injured.
16. Eighty-four percent of cell phone users stated that they believe using a cell phone while driving increases the risk of being in an accident.
17. The majority of Americans believe that talking on the phone and texting are two of the the most dangerous behaviors that occur behind the wheel. Still, as many as 81% of drivers admit to making phone calls while driving.
18. Studies have found that texting while driving causes a 400 percent increase in time spent with eyes off the road.
For more information:
Multitaskers bad at multitasking
Texting while driving hits a little too close to home. My favorite cousin’s 17-year-old granddaughter died while driving and texting. Distracted, she hit a tree and was killed instantly. Her devastated family and friends miss her.
Last weekend, New York police ran a 24-hour crackdown on drivers texting or talking on the phone (which is similarly dangerous). They wrote 7,432 tickets, compared to 580 on a typical day.
Cell phones are almost a body part. Compared to 254 million registered vehicles, there are more than 270 million cell phone subscribers. Cell phone companies subtlety market hands-free cell phone use in cars. What is your incentive to text while driving?
• Running late?
• Responding to a text?
• Need GPS driving directions?
• Bored while driving somewhere?
• Tweeting to update your Facebook page?
The Gwent Police Department in Wales produced a 30-minute video entitled “COW — The Film That Will Stop You Texting and Driving,” for British high schoolers showing the consequences of texting while driving.
Too explicit to show on U.S. TV, this public service announcement has gone viral. More than 1.5 million people around the world have now viewed the film. Given the content of some reality shows, maybe this graphic, reality video needs to be aired in prime time. It’s hard hitting, but so are the real-life consequences of distracted driving. Is this PSA about texting while driving too graphic?
Are you aware of the driving-while-texting dangers? You may believe you can text responsibly while driving, but scientific evidence shows you cannot. Who should you trust? Yourself or the statistics?
18 sobering 'driven-to-distraction' statistics
1. The risk of crash or near crash event when text messaging is 23.2 times as high as non-distracted driving.
2. Texting while driving slows reaction time 35 percent - making it more dangerous than driving while high or drunk. Yet 48 percent drivers under 25 have done it.
3. Increases chances of having an accident by four times.
4. Up to a quarter of the estimated 40,000 vehicle fatalities in the U.S. annually may be traced back to distracted drivers texting.
5. An AAA reported that 95 percent of drivers polled acknowledge texting while driving is dangerous, 21 percent of them have done it recently anyway.
6. A recent study revealed texting and driving is actually more dangerous than drinking and driving since the reaction time for a texter was longer than for someone legally drunk at 0.08.
7. Despite the risks, the majority of teen drivers ignore cell phone driving restrictions.
8. In 2007, driver distractions, such as using a cell phone or text messaging, contributed to nearly 1,000 crashes involving 16- and 17-year-old drivers.
9. Over 60 percent of American teens admit to risky driving, and nearly half of those that admit to risky driving also admit to text messaging behind the wheel.
10. Each year, 21% of fatal car crashes involving teenagers between the ages of 16 and 19 were the result of cell phone usage. This result has been expected to grow as much as 4% every year.
11. Almost 50% of all drivers between the ages of 18 and 24 are texting while driving.
12. Teens say that texting is their number one driver distraction.
13. One-fifth of experienced adult drivers in the United States send text messages while driving.
14. A study of dangerous driver behavior released in January 2007 by Nationwide Mutual Insurance Co. found that 19 percent of adult motorists say they text message while driving.
15. In 2002, the Harvard Center for Risk Analysis calculated that 2,600 people die each year as a result of using cellphones while driving. They estimated that another 330,000 are injured.
16. Eighty-four percent of cell phone users stated that they believe using a cell phone while driving increases the risk of being in an accident.
17. The majority of Americans believe that talking on the phone and texting are two of the the most dangerous behaviors that occur behind the wheel. Still, as many as 81% of drivers admit to making phone calls while driving.
18. Studies have found that texting while driving causes a 400 percent increase in time spent with eyes off the road.
For more information:
Multitaskers bad at multitasking
Monday, August 24, 2009
Drivers Talking On Cell Phones: Hang Up Or Else
From TheDay.com:
Sudden braking, swerving across lanes and unexpected turns are some of the signs police officers look for when patrolling for erratic and distracted drivers.
But those clues, which often signal an intoxicated driver, can also be signs of a distracted driver.
“Sometimes it's even worse” than driving intoxicated, said Waterford Chief Murray Pendleton. “We've spent a substantial amount of effort in teaching officers how to detect drivers under the influence, and it's amazing how many of those same symptoms are indicative of a person operating with a cell phone or attempting to text message.”
CELL PHONE CITATIONS
State police, statewide,
June 24-Aug. 18, 2009:
2,250
State police Troop E,
June 24-Aug. 18, 2009:
177
About two months ago, Gov. M. Jodi Rell launched the “Hang Up or Pay Up” campaign, which targets drivers who use cell phones while behind the wheel.
In announcing the start of the season-long campaign in June, Rell said the purpose was to reduce the number of distracted drivers, who cause “far too many crashes - crashes that are easily preventable.”
Since the start of the campaign, state police have issued 1,000 more cell phone citations than during the same time period last year.
But not all distracted driving is easy for officers to see.
”Talking is most obvious because we can see them doing it,” Stonington Police Lt. Raymond Curioso said, adding that about 90 percent of drivers who are cited tell officers they already have a hands-free device. “Texting is a little more difficult because a lot of the time they hold it closer to their lap or by the steering wheel, and we can see them looking down.”
While some police officials said that cell phone use can be a challenge to enforce during routine patrol, others said the violation is so obvious that it requires no special enforcement or checkpoint.
”It's almost kind of an easy violation to spot. You're driving down the road or in a static position and it's kind of a dead giveaway,” said Groton City Police Lt. Robert Martin. “Cell phone violations will also lead to other stuff like a suspended license or drivers that don't have a license or are not registered. It opens up other things.”
Few local police departments have dedicated patrols specifically for the campaign, citing a lack of resources or an already vigilant squad of officers who regularly look out for violators.
But supervisors said they've been reminding officers and shift commanders to continue to be vigilant for violators.
The 2005 law bans the use of cell phones and other hand-held electronic devices while driving. Drivers 18 or older are permitted to use cell phones with hands-free devices. Younger drivers are not.
The law exempts drivers contacting emergency personnel or a health care provider in an emergency situation. Police officers, firefighters and ambulance drivers are also exempt when performing their official duties.
If drivers are ticketed, they're likely to receive a $100 fine. For a first offense, a driver can appeal the ticket by showing proof of purchase of a hands-free device after the date of the citation.
Since late June, local police have handed out scores of the $100 citations.
As of last week, New London officers had written 70 citations since the announcement of the campaign. Over the same period, state police gave out more than 2,250. About 8 percent of those came from troopers in the Troop E area, which covers Sprague to Voluntown and East Lyme to Stonington.
Stonington is one of the few local departments that increased efforts and dedicated an officer specifically for the campaign. Curioso said over a two-day span at the start of the campaign, town officers handed out 46 cell phone citations. The effort was part of a request by the Connecticut Police Chiefs Association to report cell phone violations given out June 24 and 25 to coincide with the campaign's launch.
A state police spokesman attributed the increase in statewide citations to the campaign, although he said there were no specific patrols for cell phone violations.
”It's been our usual enforcement. Troopers every day out there are looking for those violations as well as other violations,” said state police Sgt. Chris Johnson, who then discussed the purpose of the campaign. “It's important that when we do these types of campaigns that … we get the word out. The reason behind the enforcement is so we can hopefully change people's driving habits.”
Sudden braking, swerving across lanes and unexpected turns are some of the signs police officers look for when patrolling for erratic and distracted drivers.
But those clues, which often signal an intoxicated driver, can also be signs of a distracted driver.
“Sometimes it's even worse” than driving intoxicated, said Waterford Chief Murray Pendleton. “We've spent a substantial amount of effort in teaching officers how to detect drivers under the influence, and it's amazing how many of those same symptoms are indicative of a person operating with a cell phone or attempting to text message.”
CELL PHONE CITATIONS
State police, statewide,
June 24-Aug. 18, 2009:
2,250
State police Troop E,
June 24-Aug. 18, 2009:
177
About two months ago, Gov. M. Jodi Rell launched the “Hang Up or Pay Up” campaign, which targets drivers who use cell phones while behind the wheel.
In announcing the start of the season-long campaign in June, Rell said the purpose was to reduce the number of distracted drivers, who cause “far too many crashes - crashes that are easily preventable.”
Since the start of the campaign, state police have issued 1,000 more cell phone citations than during the same time period last year.
But not all distracted driving is easy for officers to see.
”Talking is most obvious because we can see them doing it,” Stonington Police Lt. Raymond Curioso said, adding that about 90 percent of drivers who are cited tell officers they already have a hands-free device. “Texting is a little more difficult because a lot of the time they hold it closer to their lap or by the steering wheel, and we can see them looking down.”
While some police officials said that cell phone use can be a challenge to enforce during routine patrol, others said the violation is so obvious that it requires no special enforcement or checkpoint.
”It's almost kind of an easy violation to spot. You're driving down the road or in a static position and it's kind of a dead giveaway,” said Groton City Police Lt. Robert Martin. “Cell phone violations will also lead to other stuff like a suspended license or drivers that don't have a license or are not registered. It opens up other things.”
Few local police departments have dedicated patrols specifically for the campaign, citing a lack of resources or an already vigilant squad of officers who regularly look out for violators.
But supervisors said they've been reminding officers and shift commanders to continue to be vigilant for violators.
The 2005 law bans the use of cell phones and other hand-held electronic devices while driving. Drivers 18 or older are permitted to use cell phones with hands-free devices. Younger drivers are not.
The law exempts drivers contacting emergency personnel or a health care provider in an emergency situation. Police officers, firefighters and ambulance drivers are also exempt when performing their official duties.
If drivers are ticketed, they're likely to receive a $100 fine. For a first offense, a driver can appeal the ticket by showing proof of purchase of a hands-free device after the date of the citation.
Since late June, local police have handed out scores of the $100 citations.
As of last week, New London officers had written 70 citations since the announcement of the campaign. Over the same period, state police gave out more than 2,250. About 8 percent of those came from troopers in the Troop E area, which covers Sprague to Voluntown and East Lyme to Stonington.
Stonington is one of the few local departments that increased efforts and dedicated an officer specifically for the campaign. Curioso said over a two-day span at the start of the campaign, town officers handed out 46 cell phone citations. The effort was part of a request by the Connecticut Police Chiefs Association to report cell phone violations given out June 24 and 25 to coincide with the campaign's launch.
A state police spokesman attributed the increase in statewide citations to the campaign, although he said there were no specific patrols for cell phone violations.
”It's been our usual enforcement. Troopers every day out there are looking for those violations as well as other violations,” said state police Sgt. Chris Johnson, who then discussed the purpose of the campaign. “It's important that when we do these types of campaigns that … we get the word out. The reason behind the enforcement is so we can hopefully change people's driving habits.”
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Driving home a point: Distractions continue to end in tragedies
From Pennlive.com:
Thursday August 20, 2009, 1:45 AM
When Lebanon Valley College student Nicole Gallo, 19, was hit and killed last week by a car whose driver bent down to pick up her iPod off the floor, it was just the latest distressingly sad story detailing the consequences of driving while distracted.
It also is another stark reminder that our laws, the way we teach people to drive and the emphasis on what we teach -- at home and in driver education programs -- haven't kept pace with the reality of today.
Nearly 80 percent of crashes and 65 percent of near-crashes involve some form of driver inattention within three seconds of the event, according to research from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute. The highway administration also says the biggest source of driver inattention is the use of a wireless device.
That needs to change.
The first step is to pass a ban on sending text or e-mail messages while driving. Clearly one is not looking at the road or thinking about driving when he or she is sending a text or e-mail. Legislation pending in the General Assembly would help address this problem. That is a good first step. But what is really needed is a federal ban. Our state and our country are juggling significant issues now, but this simple step would go a long way to saving lives.
This is not just a problem related to young drivers. It is a problem related to all drivers. Truck drivers who text while driving, for example, are 23 times more likely to be involved in a crash or near-miss than non-texting drivers, an analysis by Virginia Tech's institute showed.
A Nationwide Insurance survey aimed at studying the issue of driving while distracted revealed that more than six out of 10 drivers say they expect to be available by cell phone or other electronic device at all times, even though half of those same drivers say they have been hit or nearly hit by a driver talking on a cell phone.
We have advocated a ban on using hand-held cell phones in a car. There are enough hands-free devices available these days that there is no excuse for needing to hold a phone to your ear while driving.
But driving while distracted doesn't end with cell phones, e-mails and texting. As we all know, and the Nationwide survey showed, even people who believe they are safe drivers admit to changing clothes, shaving, reading, putting on makeup, and all sorts of crazy activities while driving. That is on top of eating, changing the radio, monitoring a GPS system, putting in a new CD, turning around to talk to someone in the backseat or picking up an iPod that fell to the floor.
All this has become acceptable behavior. In this case, the path to preventing the horrible kind of crash that ended up killing Nicole Gallo not only involves changes in the law but changes in the way we think. It needs education as well.
Deep in Pennsylvania's "Content and Performance Expectations for Driver Education" is a section on driver distractions inside and outside the vehicle. It is a small part of the curriculum. That must change. There should be much more emphasis on distractions because there are so many now adays.
Parents must insist on safe behavior when teenagers are behind the wheel, and they need to be role models themselves.
New drivers, in particular, and all drivers in general, should understand the factors associated with driving while distracted and how they play themselves out, often in tragic ways.
It was once the norm for children riding a bike not to wear a helmet. It was once typical to throw the kids in the backseat of the car and drive off without anyone wearing a seat belt. And stopping people from having one for the road was once not a national cause.
The solution to these basic safety issues has come with law changes, parental commitment and a shift in the way we think -- all accomplished through education at every level.
We need to add texting, e-mailing and other functions that get in the way of a driver's concentration to the list of things we once allowed.
It is time to get serious about stopping driver distractions. It will save lives.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Chilling Video About Texting and Driving
From RantRave.com:
Now, it is possible to be a menace to other drivers and to be stone cold sober. Cell phones have become a major factor in many car crashes. Amazingly enough, people are even texting on their cell phones when operating a motor vehicle, engaging both one hand and their vision in matters other than what is on the road. People who would never think of drinking in a motor vehicle voluntarily impair themselves by focusing on a phone call or a text message.
Police in Gwent, Wales and Tredegar comprehensive, a local high school collaborated in making a harrowing film depicting an accident caused by texting and its emotional aftermath. The film, named "Cow" after its main character named Rachel Cowan was enhanced with computer technology and depicts a multiple car highway accident. The accident resulted when a young driver was distracted from the road by a texting conversation. The second by second progress of the crash is painfully vivid to anyone who has been in the middle of an accident in which you fear what the next split second will bring. The film, which is a half hour long is partially available on line. It focuses not only on the crash itself, but its emotional aftermath. The varied perspectives explored elicit vivid and visceral responses from viewers.
It is worthwhile looking at various forms of driving while impaired. Following are some notes of caution.
1)It should be obvious that driving while drunk or drugged is dangerous. Unfortunately, every year, people continue to do this. Some actually act insulted when you suggest that they shouldn't drive. They seem to resent the implication that they are mortal and vulnerable to alcoholic or chemical impairment.
2) Take a good look at your medication. Cough syrup, hay fever medication and other medications often carry a warning. These drugs can often be very powerful when used in combination, particularly with alcohol. Be aware of the dangers. Such medications may be respectable. But it does not remove the dangers.
3) Lack of sleep is as bad as driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. People die every year in accidents where the driver falls asleep. If you are on a long trip, stop for rest at intervals. Schedule as much as possible of your trip by day. Use the radio and coffee as aids in staying alert.
4) When you have a passenger, have them answer your cell phone if possible. If this is not possible, pull over and return your call or answer your text.
5) If you are in a bad mood, don't take it out on the road. Bad things can happen very quickly.
6) Maintain your brakes. Accidents can be caused by brakes that fail when you need them most. The consequences can be deadly.
7) If you are a pedestrian walking at night, wear clothing or a reflective strip that can be seen at night. Someone in dark clothing who is jaywalking can look like a shadow. Be aware of how you appear to drivers. Pedestrians who are careless can endanger themselves and drivers.
Reflexes are critical. Any kind of substance abuse lengthens the amount of time a driver is likely to take in responding to a situation on the road. A fraction of a second can mean the difference between life and death.
Both substance abuse and phone use lessen awareness and perception of the road. Even a handless cell phone can distract from awareness of what is on the road.Channel surfing on the radio can be a dangerous distraction.
No one wants the blood of innocent human beings on his or her hands. No one wants to be thought of as the person who tore a loved one away from their family. But a motor vehicle brings such terrifying possibilities well within the reach of decent people. There are very few people who are depraved drunken maniacs recklessly operating automobiles. But there are impairments and distractions that tempt almost anyone. It is wise to be aware of the many things that can turn a ride in a car into a nightmare.
So at the end of your long and tiring day, kick back and make a phone call. Have a drink. But make sure that the car is parked for the night. You're a good person. And you don't want the most memorable thing about your life to be that you took someone elses'.
In the good old days, a telephone was in your home, not in your car. drinking and driving was almost the only way a driver could be "impaired", aside from possibly a heart attack at the wheel. Later on, drugged drivers also became a real concern.
Now, it is possible to be a menace to other drivers and to be stone cold sober. Cell phones have become a major factor in many car crashes. Amazingly enough, people are even texting on their cell phones when operating a motor vehicle, engaging both one hand and their vision in matters other than what is on the road. People who would never think of drinking in a motor vehicle voluntarily impair themselves by focusing on a phone call or a text message.
Police in Gwent, Wales and Tredegar comprehensive, a local high school collaborated in making a harrowing film depicting an accident caused by texting and its emotional aftermath. The film, named "Cow" after its main character named Rachel Cowan was enhanced with computer technology and depicts a multiple car highway accident. The accident resulted when a young driver was distracted from the road by a texting conversation. The second by second progress of the crash is painfully vivid to anyone who has been in the middle of an accident in which you fear what the next split second will bring. The film, which is a half hour long is partially available on line. It focuses not only on the crash itself, but its emotional aftermath. The varied perspectives explored elicit vivid and visceral responses from viewers.
It is worthwhile looking at various forms of driving while impaired. Following are some notes of caution.
1)It should be obvious that driving while drunk or drugged is dangerous. Unfortunately, every year, people continue to do this. Some actually act insulted when you suggest that they shouldn't drive. They seem to resent the implication that they are mortal and vulnerable to alcoholic or chemical impairment.
2) Take a good look at your medication. Cough syrup, hay fever medication and other medications often carry a warning. These drugs can often be very powerful when used in combination, particularly with alcohol. Be aware of the dangers. Such medications may be respectable. But it does not remove the dangers.
3) Lack of sleep is as bad as driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. People die every year in accidents where the driver falls asleep. If you are on a long trip, stop for rest at intervals. Schedule as much as possible of your trip by day. Use the radio and coffee as aids in staying alert.
4) When you have a passenger, have them answer your cell phone if possible. If this is not possible, pull over and return your call or answer your text.
5) If you are in a bad mood, don't take it out on the road. Bad things can happen very quickly.
6) Maintain your brakes. Accidents can be caused by brakes that fail when you need them most. The consequences can be deadly.
7) If you are a pedestrian walking at night, wear clothing or a reflective strip that can be seen at night. Someone in dark clothing who is jaywalking can look like a shadow. Be aware of how you appear to drivers. Pedestrians who are careless can endanger themselves and drivers.
Reflexes are critical. Any kind of substance abuse lengthens the amount of time a driver is likely to take in responding to a situation on the road. A fraction of a second can mean the difference between life and death.
Both substance abuse and phone use lessen awareness and perception of the road. Even a handless cell phone can distract from awareness of what is on the road.Channel surfing on the radio can be a dangerous distraction.
No one wants the blood of innocent human beings on his or her hands. No one wants to be thought of as the person who tore a loved one away from their family. But a motor vehicle brings such terrifying possibilities well within the reach of decent people. There are very few people who are depraved drunken maniacs recklessly operating automobiles. But there are impairments and distractions that tempt almost anyone. It is wise to be aware of the many things that can turn a ride in a car into a nightmare.
So at the end of your long and tiring day, kick back and make a phone call. Have a drink. But make sure that the car is parked for the night. You're a good person. And you don't want the most memorable thing about your life to be that you took someone elses'.
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