The annual observational study of California drivers found almost 8 percent were using electronic communications devices while behind the wheel during 2017. That's down from almost 13 percent in 2016, the state Office of Traffic Safety reported. Overall, researchers cited a "considerable decrease" in distracted driving in California between 2016 and 2017. Officials and researchers credited the improvement to the state's recent rewrite of its electronic distracted driving law and the effect of years of public safety campaigns. A change in survey methodology also may have had an … [Read more...]
‘Red’ lights for 7 states in texting laws survey
January 22, 2018 by 2 Comments
Seven states received negative ratings from an annual roadway safety report due to their lax texting & laws. The Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety study fingered Arizona, Florida, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Ohio and South Dakota for their lack of effective texting laws. Arizona, Missouri and Montana do not have universal texting & driving bans. Florida, Nebraska, Ohio and South Dakota have texting laws, but enforcement is hindered by the secondary enforcement status. Ohio avoided the group's "red" for "danger" signifier by having a cell phone restriction for novice drivers. … [Read more...]
California: 13% of drivers on phone
June 29, 2016 by Leave a Comment
About 13 percent of California drivers are busy using cell phones while behind the wheel -- up from almost 10 percent in 2015 -- a state study suggests. Almost 8 percent of the state motorists were deemed to be driving distracted due to electronic device use, up from 5.4 percent. The state Office of Traffic Safety called the results of its sixth annual observational study "discouraging, but not totally unexpected." "Typing" and "posting" by drivers were up almost a third in the 2016 study, although "nearly all types of usage were up." The report -- "Observational Survey of Cell … [Read more...]
Social media a major roadway distraction
May 20, 2015 by 1 Comment
Almost half of drivers distracted by their smartphones are busy using social media, a new survey suggests. Key activities self-reported by the drivers -- in addition to texting and using email -- include "surfing the Net," taking selfies and shooting videos. Seven in 10 people who own smartphones and use them daily engage in some form of smartphone activity while driving, a survey conducted for wireless carrier AT&T shows. Most of those activities are against the law, depending on the state. Facebook, of course, takes the top spot in social media, with a quarter of the smartphone … [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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