The Dangers of Distracted Driving

The number of injuries caused by distracted driving increased to around 424,000 in 2013. Of the drivers ages 20 or younger who were involved in serious road accidents, around 10 percent were distracted at the time of the accident. Approximately 660,000 drivers use some kind of electronic device at any given time while driving. When drivers use a device for activities that require manual and/or visual involvement, they are exposed to three times higher risk of getting involved in a car accident. Texting or sending a message from a mobile phone distracts a driver for around five seconds. This is sufficient time for a vehicle, moving at 55 mph, to cross a football field.

Distracted driving is taken seriously by Illinois laws. If a driver’s inattention causes an accident, the driver may be fined, penalized, and even sentenced to jail. Strict laws have reduced the number of accidents caused by distracted driving.

Illinois Laws and Distracted Driving

In Illinois, there are strict laws related to distracted driving. For example, it is unlawful for:

• A driver to send, type, or read mobile phone messages when driving.
• A driver younger than 19 years to use any type of mobile phone.
• A bus driver to use any type of mobile phone.
• A driver to use a mobile phone when driving through accident prone zones.

Other Distractions While Driving

In addition to cell phone use, there are other distractions to avoid while driving:

• making adjustments to the radio, air conditioner, or seat
• applying cosmetics while driving
• emailing while driving
• reading, writing, eating, or drinking while driving

A recent federal government funded study was conducted on driving habits and distractions by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI). Researchers found shocking results about the extent of distracted driving. Cell phones are one of the biggest causes of distracted driving.

• Mobile phones were the most common distraction that people were engaging in while driving.
• Texting while driving accounted for 2 percent of all driving distractions; however, it increased the risk of crashes by six times.
• Simply taking your eyes off the road to pick up the phone can increase the risk of crashing by five times.

Another study conducted by the U.S. Department of Transportation and the National Highway Traffic Safety charted out a number of dangers distracted driving poses based of the data they collected.

• In 2013, distracted driving was the cause of 424,000 persons getting injured while on the road and 3,145 fatalities occurred due to distracted driving.
• In the U.S., there are about 150 billion messages sent out per year.
• 27 percent of drivers involved in fatal crashes caused by distracted driving are in their 20s.
• At any given point of time, there are approximately 660,000 drivers on the road in the U.S. who are using cell phones while driving.

It has been established that cell phones are a distraction to motorists and are dangerous. A study conducted by the Florida State University published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, states that even a small notification popping up on the screen of the mobile phone is distracting enough to cause a car accident.

Distracted Driving and Negligence

Hands-free technology, voice commands, and Bluetooth connected technology were developed to reduce distractions caused by cell phones; however, any distraction can lead to serious implications for a motorist. Cell phone notifications, though short in duration, can prompt a driver to focus attention away from the current task at hand – driving. Taking your eyes off the road is a distraction serious enough to cause an accident, but even merely being aware that there is a missed call or a message notification can have the same effect.

A large number of distracted driving accidents occur every day despite drivers knowing that using cell phones while driving is a risk. Studies suggest that it is by habit, that a driver’s attention becomes divided between driving and the content of the notification they have received on the phone. Using a cell phone while driving can amount to negligence.