We all know that distracted driving is an issue that should never be ignored. Too often, people are injured in accidents caused by distracted drivers that could have been prevented.
But while statistics show that the number of distracted driving accidents is increasing, many still believe they will never be impacted. A new research carried out by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety shows that distracted driving is a much more concerning issue than we may have previously thought.
According to the group, every 6 out of 10 moderate-to-severe auto accidents involving teen drivers are caused by distracted driving. The problem may lead to a much higher rate of accidents mostly because drivers continue to use their phones. The greater the number of drivers who are also smartphone users, the greater the risk.
The research used data pertaining to the six seconds leading up to accidents in nearly 1,700 videos of in-vehicle event recorders. All of the accidents analyzed involved teen drivers. According to the results of the research, distraction was a factor in 58 percent of all auto accidents reviewed. At last 76 percent of the rear-end crashes involved distraction while 89 percent of road-departure crashes involved the same problem.
Previously, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that distracted driving is a factor in 14 percent of teen driver crashes, but AAA’s new study has just indicated that the actual number is much higher.
When it comes to distracted driving among teens, some of the most common activities involved include the use of phones to text, but that’s not all.
Why Are Teens Guilty Of Distracted Driving So Often?
According to AAA, the research also showed that interacting with passengers is one of the most common sources of distraction for teens. In 15 percent of the cases in the study involved teens talking to passengers.
Other factors include the use of cell phones, which happened in 12 percent of crashes. But looking at something in the vehicle happened 10 percent of the time. Paying attention to things outside of the vehicle led to distracted driving crashes 9 percent of the time and singing or dancing to music led to accidents in 8 percent of the accidents.
Other factors included grooming and reaching for objects inside the car, both factors occurred in 6 percent of the accidents.
What most of us should take from this research is that the use of cell phones and talking to passengers account for most auto accidents caused by distraction.
If you’re curious to know more about what the AAA and the NHTSA have to say about the causes of distracted driving crash, you can follow this link to read the full article.