The impact of driver distraction on road safety: results from a representative survey in two Australian states

Abstract

Objective: To quantify the prevalence and effects of distracting activities while driving. Design: Cross sectional driver survey. Setting: New South Wales and Western Australia, Australia. Participants: 1347 licensed drivers aged between 18 and 65 years. Data were weighted to reflect the corresponding driving population. Main outcome measures: Prevalence of distracting activities while driving; perceived risks and adverse outcomes due to distractions. Results: The most common distracting activities during the most recent driving trip were lack of concentration (weighted percentage (standard error, SE) 71.8% (1.4%) of drivers); adjusting in-vehicle equipment (68.7% (1.5%)); outside people, objects or events (57.8% (1.6%)); and talking to passengers (39.8% (1.6%)). On average, a driver engaged in a distracting activity once every six minutes. One in five crashes (21%) during the last three years, involving one in 20 drivers (5.0% (0.7%)), was attributed to driver distraction based on self-report. In the population under study, this equated to 242,188 (SE 34,417) drivers. Younger drivers (18-30 years) were significantly more likely to report distracting activities, to perceive distracting activities as less dangerous, and to have crashed as a result. Conclusions: Distracting activities while driving are common and can result in driving errors. Driver distraction is an important cause of crashes. Further research is needed to estimate the risk conferred by different distracting activities and the circumstances during which activities pose greatest risk. These results suggest that a strategy to minimize distracting activities while driving, with a focus on young drivers, is indicated.

Technology and teen drivers

“…This, despite the fact that they were more likely to have crashed as a consequence of distraction (McEvoy, Stevenson, & Woodward, 2006). Overall, young drivers may be exceptionally vulnerable to distractions because they are more likely to adopt new technology and to use it while driving.…”

Diseño y validación de un cuestionario sobre patrones de conducción de riesgo en jóvenes

“…Finalmente, el F3 agrupó tres factores de riesgo que podemos considerar clásicos: el consumo de alcohol, la implicación en circunstancias objetivamente ligadas con la distracción al volante (fumar, comer o hablar por el móvil mientras se conduce) 38,39 y no usar el cinturón de seguridad (aunque, teóricamente, esta últi-ma circunstancia no tendría por qué influir en la accidentalidad, se ha constatado que se comporta como un marcador de otras conductas de mayor riesgo al volante 40,41 ). La bibliografía es extensa en cuanto a la relación del alcohol y las distracciones con la accidentalidad [42][43][44][45] así como respecto a la elevada prevalencia de estos patrones de conducción en jóvenes 46,47 . Por eso hasta cierto punto es sorprendente que tanto la frecuencia de reporte de algunos de ellos como su fuerza de asociación con la accidentalidad sea relativamente baja en nuestro estudio.…”

Effects of hearing loss on traffic safety and mobility

“…Driving conditions avoided by older drivers include rush hours, darkness, poor weather or road surface conditions, driving in unfamiliar areas Gwyther & Holland, 2012;Hakamies-Blomqvist, 1994;Rothe, 1990). Moreover, older drivers are less likely than middle-aged drivers to be engaged in distracting activities such as adjusting in-vehicle equipment or using a mobile phone (Fofanova & Vollrath, 2012;McEvoy, Stevenson, & Woodward, 2006). Avoidance of distracting activities while driving is one coping strategy.…”