Drivers using voice-controlled systems take their eyes off the road more than expected, safety researchers have found. The total "glance time" for some interactive tasks appeared to exceed the federal guidelines for visual-manual interactions by drivers. The MIT study delivered a mix of good and bad news: "Both positive features and concerns associated with the use of the voice interface were identified." Age seemed to be linked with the challenges of using these interactive dashboard systems: The results suggested that older drivers tended to be more distracted than younger subjects, … [Read more...]
Adults more distracted than teens
December 13, 2013 by 1 Comment
Teens often get the rap for the menace of distracted driving, but the evidence suggests thirtysomethings are by far the worst offenders. When asked by researchers about their cell phone use in the past month, 43 percent of adults ages 25-39 said they did "fairly often" or regularly while driving, compared with only 20 percent of teenagers. Across all age groups, two out of three drivers said they used a cell phone while driving in the past month. Among drivers under the age of 60, teens said they used cell phones less than any other age group. Since the study was self-reported, the … [Read more...]
Foxx checks in on distracted driving
December 10, 2013 by Leave a Comment
New federal DOT chief Anthony Foxx has made his first move in the war on distracted driving. The U.S. secretary of Transportation has been largely silent on the issue since his confirmation hearings, a stark contrast to his predecessor, who was for many the face of the national effort against distracted driving. Foxx met Dec. 9 with an unspecified group of "leaders from nearly two dozen organizations" seeking to end distracted driving. The group apparently included representatives of automakers, wireless providers, safety groups and law enforcement agencies. "It was the first of what … [Read more...]
New Jersey’s new distracted driving bills
November 27, 2013 by 1 Comment
New Jersey's lawmakers created a series of distracted driving laws during the current legislative session, and they still haven't hit the brakes. A trio of distracted driving measures have been put before New Jersey's Assembly and Senate in the final weeks of the 2012-2013 session. The Assembly Transportation Committee on Nov. 25 approved a bill from John Wisniewski that would outlaw any activity "unrelated to the actual operation of a motor vehicle" that distracts the driver. Wisniewski's measure also would clarify that holding a mobile phone near one's ear is cause for police to write … [Read more...]
Distracted deaths down, injuries up
November 14, 2013 by 1 Comment
Distracted driving crashes killed fewer people in 2012, but the number of injuries was up significantly. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said 3,328 died in the distracted driving crashes, down slightly from 2011's 3,360 fatalities. About 421,000 injuries occurred in 2012, a 9 percent increase from the previous year (387,000). The NHTSA said it is "just beginning to identify distraction-related accidents," so the totals of death and injuries no doubt are higher -- as has been the case since use of mobile communications devices while behind the wheel became an issue in … [Read more...]
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