10 DISTRACTED DRIVING STATISTICS AND FACTS THAT SAFE DRIVERS NEED TO KNOW
What Is Distracted Driving? The NHTSA defines distracted driving as any non-driving activity that occurs behind the wheel, and identifies the three types of distracted driving as:
Visual, or taking your eyes off the road
Manual, or taking your hands off the wheel
Cognitive, or taking your mind off driving 1: More than 2.5 million people are involved in crashes each year, and distracted driving is the leading cause. By some estimates, as many as 1,000 people are injured every day in crashes related to distracted driving.| 2: Data suggests that deaths from traffic crashes are on the rise because of all of the distractions drivers deal with. Distractions inside the car give us too many things to look at (and listen to), from GPS devices and infotainment systems to cell phones and other electronics. 3: Multitasking is a myth. Research shows that when you’re doing two things at once, your brain is actually just switching between tasks very rapidly. Every additional task you do while driving detracts from your ability to drive well and increases your chances of having a collision. 4: It takes your brain up to 13 seconds to refocus on your surroundings after looking at your cell phone — even if you “only glanced at it for a second.” As your brain refocuses, your driving skills are not at their best 5: When you attempt to multitask while driving, your eye activity slows down and your problem-solving skills are diminished.
6: 77 percent of vehicle crashes happen within 15 miles or less of your destination. When we get familiar with our surroundings, it’s not uncommon to relax and let our guard down. Doing this, however, makes you less alert to changes in your driving environment and more prone to distraction. 7: A person who texts and drives is six times more likely to have a crash than someone who drives drunk. 8: Eating while driving is riskier than talking on a cell phone. That’s because food can cause problems like spilling and leaks that demand your immediate attention and may cause you to take your eyes off the road. If you’re eating, you’re also taking at least one hand off the wheel, which makes you less able to react to driving situations. 9: According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, 71% of large truck accidents occurred as the result of the driver doing something other than driving the truck. 10: One study found that nearly 80% of crashes involved driver inattention in the three seconds just before the crash. The study also pointed to driver inattention as the leading factor in crashes and near-crashes. Nevada Drive Academy offers behind the wheel training for students of all ages. Driving lessons are catered to the students specific needs. Call to speak to a licensed DMV driving instructor today. 702-496-7988
