Companies may even establish safe driver campaigns that reward employees for practicing safe driving techniques. About19% of driversof all ages surf the web while they are driving. The number of drivers who are using their smartphones to surf the internet has only risen in recent years. In 2009, the percentage of drivers surfing the internet was as low as 13%. Whether it’s a smartphone addiction or an overestimation of their own reaction abilities, texting while driving among teens is a pressing problem to this day. If teens weren’t distracted while driving, the wreck could have been avoided altogether.
Of the 2,501 drivers surveyed this spring, 95 percent said that texting was unacceptable behavior. Yet 21 percent of drivers said they had recently texted or e-mailed while driving. In the moments before a crash or near crash, drivers typically spent nearly five seconds looking at their devices enough time at typical highway speeds to cover more than the length of a football field. To those who don’t text regularly, these dangers might seem obvious.
Youth drivers may be stopped and cited for texting while driving. Support for hand-held cell phone bans remained relatively consistent, 69 percent in 2010 and 66.5 percent in 2012, with an average of 69 percent for the three years. Similarly the support for a total ban on cell phones remained relatively consistent, 46 percent in 2010 and 48.6 percent in 2012, with an average of 49 percent for the three years. In addition to cognitive distraction, sending or receiving a text message causes the driver’s eyes to be off the road for an average of 4.6 seconds. When driving 55 miles per hour, this is the equivalent of driving the entire length of a football field blind [Olson, Hanowski, Hickman et al., 2009].
This is important to note in developing effective countermeasures for driver distraction. The support of the public can buttress the course of action to address the issue. Polls according to howard s. becker, why do marijuana smokers enjoy using the drug? show a range of high support, averaging nearly 90 percent approval of texting bans and a strong majority of approximately 70 percent endorsing hand-held cell phone bans.
Whatever you do, don’t trust your intuitions, and don’t wait for the moment of temptation to decide whether or not to pick up the phone. Most crashes are caused by people like you and me who think they can pay attention to the road and do something else at the same time. The use of telematics to detect drunk driving and texting while driving has been proposed.
Office of Personnel Management, 2013], from text messaging while driving on official Government business or while using government-supplied equipment while driving at any other time. The Order also encouraged federal contractors and others doing business with the government to adopt and enforce their own policies banning texting while driving on the job, yet this provision lacks any force behind it [Exec. Additional and more robust federal laws and regulations are still needed to fully address the issue of distracted driving.
According to the poll, 94 percent of those interviewed supported a ban on texting and 71 percent supported a prohibition against the use of hand-held cell phones while driving . The National Transportation Safety Board has also taken steps to address distracted driving. In December, 2011, the NTSB, comprised of approximately 400 employees, became the first government agency to call for a complete ban of nonemergency use of portable electronic devices, including hands-free devices, while driving. Teenagers who have a learner’s permits or intermediate licenses are prohibited from using wireless communication devices while driving. School bus drivers are prohibited from using cell phones while operating the vehicles.$100 , then $200, then $300.
Got a traffic ticket and ordered/referred by Court to do a traffic school or defensive driving online course? Looking for an affordable, quick and easy driving safety class? Enroll Now ►for Ticket Dismissal, Point Removal and to avoid Car Insurance Premium hikes. • Regardless of fault or if you’re planning to make a damage claim you should inform your insurance company of any accident you are involved in. That percentage may be even higher, according to AT&T data provided to USA TODAY in March. It found that 49% of adults admitted doing so, along with 43% of teenagers.
