Driver Distraction

IN DRAFT

A Police officer in the video says,

“I sometimes ask people if they would drive blindfolded. And of course, the answer is no. And they kinda see the relation between driving blindfolded and driving distracted.”

CBS This Morning (2015).

Mobile Device Use

Mobile phones are recorded to be a major cause of distracted driving RTIs.

Driver surveys suggest the use of a mobile device while driving is common and even among conscientious drivers although younger drivers are inferred most likely to do so. Watch the following video to understand how quickly a distraction may cause an RTI.

Sploid (2015).

Conversing

A conversation and particularly an argument will distract from the driving task. (See the previous video 1:35 for an example).

Research suggests the cognitive discourse and effort required to converse is high. In the video, we see an emphasis and searching for eye contact affirmation takes the woman’s eyes off the road. A distraction.

It is the cognitive effort required in conversing that distracts drivers when making phone calls – not necessarily the dialling of contacts as one may imagine? And for this reason, hands-free phone calls will become unlawful in Europe and the USA.

Does a hands-free call include one made using a vehicle IVIS?

Driving Without Awareness

Driving without awareness (DWA) may be caused by:

  • Thinking.
  • Conversation.
  • Other distraction.
  • Intoxication.
  • Fatigue (sleepiness).

The effects of DWA may be traumatic. For example, toll-plazas are generally well signed and present a significant barrier to progress. And still, a driver DWA will collide with the toll booths.

WARNING: The following videos contain scenes that some viewers may find distressing.

ABC News (2018).

ODN (2010).

References

ABC News. (2018, June 18). Passenger ejected from car after crash into toll plaza. [Video File]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/Lzm-vAmBoXw.

CBS This Morning. (2015, August 3). Police pose as homeless to nab distracted drivers. [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-VW-gjqDy4.

ODN. (2010, June 7). Runaway car jumps airport tollbooth. [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xl1kFkj26nE.

Sploid. (2015, March 27). Terrifying video shows how distracted teens can be while driving. [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-t-pVe-LCs.