Distracted Driving Danger

Gary Smith for AAM BlogWRITTEN BY GARY SMITH, APARTMENT BUILDING MANAGEMENT WORKERS COMPENSATION SELF INSURED FUND

Distracted driving continues to be a top danger in U.S. workplaces. Many drivers have a false sense of security while using hands-free technology, but they remain highly vulnerable due to cognitive distraction during cell phone calls. So, consider these distracted driving statistics:

Motor vehicle crashes are the No. 1 cause of work-related death (CDC) and account for more than 35,000 deaths each year in the United States (NHTSA).

Driver distraction is a significant contributor to crashes and cell phone use has played an increasingly larger role. More than 1 in 4 drivers admit to typing or sending text messages while driving and more than 1 in 3 report reading a text message or email while driving (AAAFTS).

The National Safety Council (NSC) offers us the following insights into cognitive distraction.

What are the risks?

The three types of driver distraction are:

• Visual (eyes on road)

• Mechanical (hands on wheel)

• Cognitive (mind on driving)

Cell phones are unique from other forms of driver distraction because they usually involve all three forms of distraction. Many people tend to focus on visual and mechanical distractions. However, cognitive distraction is very risky because people do not always recognize they are cognitively distracted and this distraction lasts much longer than the other two types. There is a false perception that hands-free phones are safer than handheld. But research has found no safety benefits to hands-free phones.

Multitasking is a myth

Driving and cell phone conversations both require a great deal of thought. When doing them at the same time, your brain is unable to do either well. For example, it’s nearly impossible to read a book and have a phone conversation. While driving, this often results in crashes due to delayed braking times and not seeing traffic signals.

Passenger conversations are different

A common myth is talking on a cell phone while driving is not different than talking to a passenger, but paying attention to a conversation with a disembodied voice contributes to numerous driving impairments. This is in part because an adult passenger can make an adult driver safer because adult passengers can see the driving environment and often point out things the driver may not see.

Delayed reaction

Cell phone use substantially decreases a driver’s reaction time. One driving simulator study conducted by the University of Utah found that drivers using cell phones had slower reaction times than drivers with a .08 blood alcohol content, the legal intoxication limit. Braking time also was delayed for drivers talking on cell phones – hands-free or handheld. The difference, of course, is a driver talking on a cell phone can eliminate his risk immediately by hanging up the phone whereas an impaired driver is impaired for the duration of the drive.

Decreased brain activity

A study done by Carnegie Mellon University showed a decrease in brain activity when drivers use a cell phone while driving. The parietal lobe activation, which is associated with processing moving visual images while driving, decreases by as much as 37 percent with sentence listening.

Solutions available to employers

Even when people know the risks, voluntary compliance is very difficult. Education alone is not an effective solution. Safety, human resource and employment law experts recommend employers implement and enforce policies banning cell phone use while driving that include:

Clear policy language

Documented training and employee communication

A requirement that employees read and sign the policy

Disciplinary action with firm enforcement

Currently, no state law addresses both hands-free and handheld phone use among all drivers for both talking and text messaging. Because no state law provides optimum prevention, NSC recommends employer policies exceed state law requirements.

Should you require assistance with distracted driving prevention in your workplace, please contact Gary Smith, CRM, at (517) 338-3367 or gary.smith@yorkrsg.com.

Resources:

National Safety Council (NSC) – Cell Phone Distracted Driving: http://www.nsc.org/learn/NSC-Initiatives/Pages/distracted-driving-problem-of-cell-phone-distracted-driving.aspx

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) – Motor Vehicle Safety at Work: http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/motorvehicle/

The Official U.S. Government Website for Distracted Driving:
http://www.distraction.gov/

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