Minor Injury Crashes: Prevalence of Driver-Related Risk Factors and Outcome

Road traffic injuries and fatalities among drivers distracted by mobile devices

“…Indeed, most studies acknowledged that their results were likely to underestimate the actual prevalence of injuries or deaths due to driver distraction by a mobile device. Reasons given for this potential under-reporting included driver, passenger, or witness recall bias,[ 24 25 28 ] reporting bias by culpable drivers avoiding consequences for their actions,[ 18 21 24 ] incomplete databases records,[ 17 22 ] and misinterpretation of data by accident researchers. [ 28 ] It is also possible that injured drivers who were using a mobile device immediately before their MVC may have disproportionately chosen not to participate in an investigation of distracted driving.…”

“…Studies were published between 1998 and 2017, with sample sizes ranging from 74 to 1,080,637. Five studies were performed in the United States,[ 16 17 18 19 20 ] three in Australia,[ 21 22 23 ] one in Canada,[ 24 ] one in Qatar,[ 25 ] one in the United Arab Emirates,[ 26 ] one in Iran,[ 27 ] and one in England and Wales. [ 28 ] In addition to mobile device use, other types of behavior evaluated including smoking,[ 23 25 26 27 ] eating/drinking,[ 25 26 ] as well as various internal[ 16 18 22 23 24 25 27 28 ] and external[ 16 22 23 26 ] distractions.…”

“…Five studies were performed in the United States,[ 16 17 18 19 20 ] three in Australia,[ 21 22 23 ] one in Canada,[ 24 ] one in Qatar,[ 25 ] one in the United Arab Emirates,[ 26 ] one in Iran,[ 27 ] and one in England and Wales. [ 28 ] In addition to mobile device use, other types of behavior evaluated including smoking,[ 23 25 26 27 ] eating/drinking,[ 25 26 ] as well as various internal[ 16 18 22 23 24 25 27 28 ] and external[ 16 22 23 26 ] distractions. Studies determined the involvement of driver distraction through examination of data collected from police reports,[ 16 17 18 19 20 22 23 28 ] interviews,[ 21 22 24 25 26 27 ] phone records,[ 19 21 ] medical records,[ 21 22 26 ] coroner reports,[ 19 22 ] and investigation of the scene and vehicle.…”

“…Overall, the proportion of distracted driving-related trauma ranged from 0.04% (192/449,560) to 44.7% (162/358), with a median of 3.4%. Nonfatal MVC injuries related to mobile device use was specifically reported in six studies[ 16 17 21 24 25 27 ] and ranged from 0.04% (190/443,077) to 25.4% (104/409) with a median of 9.6%. MVC fatalities attributed to mobile device use was reported in five studies,[ 16 17 19 20 28 ] ranging from 0% (0/1) to 44.7% (162/358), with a median of 0.05%.…”

“…A low NOS score reflects poor study quality. Overall, three studies had a total score of five,[ 24 25 27 ] eight had a score of six,[ 16 17 18 19 22 23 26 28 ] one had a score of seven,[ 21 ] and one had a score of eight. [ 20 ] Inter-rater agreement between the two reviewers was substantial (κ = 0.73).…”