How Technology Is Impacting Road Safety

Distracted driving is a significant safety concern on our roads. It is defined as any activity that diverts attention from driving and encompasses behaviors such as texting, eating or drinking, adjusting the radio, using navigation systems, and even applying makeup while behind the wheel. 

According to distracted driving data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, over 3,300 people lost their lives due to distracted driving in 2022 alone. These alarming figures underscore a need for solutions that reduce the prevalence of distracted driving and improve road safety for all motorists.

At Triumph Law, we’ve taken it upon ourselves to conduct a study of statistics that explores the causes of distracted driving. We’ve found that driving distractions can be grouped into the following three categories

• Manual or physical distractions like reaching for objects
• Visual distractions that take your eyes off the road
• Cognitive or mental distractions such as daydreaming or focusing on a phone conversation

While modern in-car technologies, like hands-free devices and navigation systems, are designed to assist drivers and remove manual distractions, they often introduce additional distractions. Our study not only investigates the rates and types of distracted driving but also seeks actionable solutions to reduce these preventable accidents. 

The relevance of this research grows as advancements in vehicle technology and society’s increasing reliance on mobile connectivity continue to reshape driving behavior. 

Distractions Behind The Wheel

We’ve found that cell phones are often the biggest distraction in the average person’s vehicle. Whether a driver is checking notifications, sending a quick text, or even using navigation apps, the attention required to operate a phone diverts the driver’s focus from the road and increases the risk of an accident.

According to our firm’s analysis of 2023 research, women are slightly more likely than men to use their phones behind the wheel, with women demonstrating the behavior at a rate of 2.3% and men at a rate of 2.0%. 

We’ve also found that teens and young adults under the age of 25 are the most frequent offenders, with a usage rate of 2.7%. This age group’s higher reliance on digital communication and technology increases their risk of distracted driving accidents.

The Dangers of Texting While Driving

Among all the distractions that cause accidents on the road, texting is the most dangerous. When you text while driving, you expose yourself to manual, visual, and cognitive distractions. When your hands aren’t on the wheel, your eyes are diverted from the road, and your mind is focusing on composing a text message, you’re unable to drive safely. 

Sending or receiving a text message requires an average of five seconds of attention. While this might seem like a short amount of time, it’s important to remember that a lot can happen on the road in five seconds, especially if you’re driving at a high speed. To put it in perspective, it takes five seconds to travel the length of a football field when you’re driving at a speed of 55 mph.

Hands-Free Options Still Cause Cognitive Distraction

Many drivers are turning to hands-free technology to stay connected while driving. While hands-free tech might seem like a safer option, this type of technology still falls under the category of cognitive distractions because the mental effort required to engage in conversations or issue voice commands takes the driver’s attention away from the road.

Dangers of In-Vehicle Infotainment and Navigation Systems

As you may know, many modern vehicles are equipped with advanced infotainment systems and navigation tools. While these features are convenient, our firm’s study has found that they can contribute to distracted driving. 

Using these features to enter the address of a destination, update settings, or respond to a lane departure alert requires manual, visual, and cognitive attention. Therefore, these features can be significant distractions that make roads less safe.

A Growing Concern with Advancing Technology

As vehicles become increasingly connected and equipped with sophisticated technology, the risk of distracted driving continues to grow. From cell phone use to in-car infotainment systems, technology continues to provide distractions that take our attention off the road and put other lives in danger. 

Our firm’s study of statistics highlights the need to raise awareness about these distractions and create solutions that increase road safety for all.

Texting Can Wait

Our attachment to mobile devices and desire for constant connectivity have considerably impacted the safety of our nation’s roadways. According to our firm’s study, distracted driving has become a dangerous epidemic, with over 460,000 people visibly manipulating their phones while driving. 

Whether a driver is texting, sending emails, checking social media, or even taking pictures, this behavior poses a massive safety risk to drivers.

Who is Using Their Phones While Driving?

According to our analysis of current data, drivers aged 16–24 are most likely to manipulate their phones behind the wheel, with a staggering 7.7% admitting to this behavior. This demographic is particularly vulnerable, as car crashes are the number one killer of teens aged 15–19 nationwide. Among these fatal crashes, 20% are directly attributed to distracted driving. 

For drivers aged 25–69, the rate of phone manipulation behind the wheel is 2.8%, and it drops significantly for those aged 70 and older to just 0.6%. That said, even these lower percentages represent thousands of individuals who engage in dangerous driving behaviors on a daily basis.

California Drivers Are Concerned

Our study also found that distracted driving is a major concern for California drivers. We found that 26.8% of California drivers identified distracted driving as their primary safety concern on the road. 19% of respondents cited texting as their main concern, and 17.4% reported that they are most worried about drivers who talk on the phone. 

California’s pedestrians echo these concerns, stating that within the past six months, drivers using cell phones posed the greatest risk to their safety 15.4% of the time. Whether you talk to a motorist or someone who prefers walking, it’s clear that distracted driving is a growing problem among California drivers.

Teens Learn by Example

When discussing distracted driving and how different generations engage in different distractions, it’s important to understand that parental behavior plays a significant role in shaping teen driving habits. If parents frequently text or use their phones while driving, their children are more likely to mimic these actions when they begin driving. 

This reality highlights the importance of modeling safe driving practices to our children. By setting a good example for our children, we help reduce the prevalence of distracted driving and increase road safety.

The Nationwide Impact

The consequences of distracted driving extend far beyond California. Every day, 9 people across the United States lose their lives due to distracted driving. Annually, this adds up to over 3,300 fatalities. These figures represent not just numbers but real people—mothers, fathers, children, and friends whose lives could have been saved with greater awareness and distracted driving prevention efforts.

Lowering The Numbers

According to information on distracted driving laws that we’ve analyzed, California has a ban on texting while driving but no ban on holding an electronic device while driving. This differs from states like Oregon and Washington, which prohibit drivers from texting and even holding a phone while driving.

While making distracted driving laws stricter could be an effective way to curb preventable accidents, there are many measures that the public can take to reduce the amount of distracted driving crashes that occur every year.

Here are some steps you can take to limit distraction and improve safety when driving:

• Turn off or disable your phone to completely remove the temptation to check messages or use other applications while driving.
• Use an app that routes your calls to voicemail when your vehicle reaches a certain speed. 
• Plan out your route or enter the address of your destination into your GPS before you start driving. 
• Set the climate control, select a radio station, adjust your seat and mirror, and make other adjustments before you start driving.
• Apply makeup, fix your hair, and take the other actions you need to get ready before you start your vehicle.
• Don’t eat or drink while operating your vehicle.
• Make sure your children, passengers, and pets are secure and buckled in before you begin driving.
• If you have a phone, book, map, purse, or other object on your passenger seat that could distract you while you’re driving, move it to the back seat or trunk before you begin driving.
• Try to avoid getting into a heated discussion or debate with a passenger while driving, as doing so could take your focus off the road, leading to a collision.
• Don’t drive if you are tired or lacking the energy you need to stay focused on the road and your surroundings.

“This study reveals that distracted driving has become a pervasive and deadly issue. With over 3,300 lives lost annually and younger drivers disproportionately affected, it’s clear that technology, while convenient, is significantly contributing to preventable tragedies on our roads. Fortunately, by taking the appropriate safety precautions, we can reduce distracted driving and make our roads safer.” 

Wrapping Things Up

According to our analysis of statistics, distracted driving, fueled by cell phone use and in-car technology, claims over 3,300 lives annually, with teens and young adults most at risk. We’ve also found that while in-car technology can be helpful and convenient, it can also lead to distracted driving accidents. 

By spreading awareness about the dangers of texting and using tech while driving, we can lower the rate of distracted driving accidents and save lives. 

Triumph Law is committed to improving road safety and helping accident victims get the resources they need. If you’ve been hurt in a crash caused by a distracted driver, contact our firm today to schedule a free consultation with a distracted driving accident lawyer.