Distracting Driver's Attention Essay

We all are probably aware that texting and talking on the phone is a distraction to all drivers and can be very dangerous. Also, we all know there are many other distractions besides texting and driving, and any type of technology can cause a driver to be distracted. Forty-one percent of all drivers use their hands to text in the car while driving, according to Greg Gardner (52). It can cause people to forget about pedestrians or their surrounding areas. People who are distracted often aren’t focused and don’t have both hands on the wheel. According to Bryan Wilson, people may say that cell phones are easy to be pointed out as a problem, but statistics show the damage cell phones can do to a person while they are driving (6). According to Simon Usborne, time spent not looking at the road while talking on the phone is 15% of the time (68). Also, while texting and driving the time spent not looking at the road is 30% of the time (Usborne 69). As technology improves more and more people may feel the need to use their cell phones while driving. According to Melissa Healy, cell phone use can be as dangerous as drunk driving (42). Tests should be done to compare the various ways of sober people under the influence driving also to compare the impact of texting and driving. This would give us a better understanding of just how dangerous driving and being on our phone really is.

There are both cognitive and physical factors that contribute to accidents when drivers talk on their cell phones and/or text behind the wheel. The primary cognitive factor is that an individual’s attention is divided when he or she is paying attention to more than one thing at a time (Goldstein, 2011). For example, a driver’s attention is on the road and perhaps how far the car ahead of him/her is, but at the same time is also trying to read a text message on a cellular device. This divided attention reduces the reaction speed and driving performance of the driver because there are not as many cognitive resources available to focus his/her attention on the most important thing: driving. When the driver is processing

Most teens, and even adults, use their cellphones while they drive. They think a quick text or call won’t hurt while they are at a red light. They call it multitasking, and think that since they have a hand on the wheel they are fine. In the articles “How The Brain Reacts” by Marcel Just and Tim Keller, and “The Science Behind Distracted Driving” by KUTV, Austin they describe how the mind is working in the cellphone situation.

1). Texting and using a cell phone are the two most common distractions while driving (“Distracted” para. 1). It Can Wait campaign has started to stop drivers from using handheld devices (“Distracted” para. 3). Distractions affect one’s driving performance (“Distracted” para. 5). Drivers are distracted around half the time they drive (“Distracted” para. 5).15% to 25% of crashes on all levels are caused by distraction (“Distracted” para. 5). Texting increases the driving risk, even more than regular cell phone use (“Distracted” para. 5). When cops fill out crash reports, the states should keep track of them (“Distracted” para. 6). There are many distraction while driving that may cause the driver to take focus off the road (“Distracted” para. 8). Some distraction that everyone does is : changing the radio or a CD, talking to passenger, and observing the event outside the vehicle (Distracted para. 8). There are effects on telematics on driving behaviors (“Distracted” para. 9). Some say that the electronic device companies need to inform the public about the real use of these devices (“Distracted” para.

The use of pulling a phone out while driving , particularly for texting and during phone to ear conversations , cause visual , manual and cognitive distraction (Thompson 4 ). When drivers pull out their phones they are taking more than 50% of their attention away from the roads, for example some

Cell phones have been proven to be a distraction to people young and old but mostly in teenagers. Driving while distracted is a factor in at least 25% of all car accidents (Nationwide). Teenagers and adults alike believe that they can multitask and text while driving. It is easily possible for your eyes to slip off the road. Therefore, instead of your eyes locking in on your phone they should be locked on watching your speed, the road, and the traffic. At the same time, while

Electronic devices and cell phones are the most easily recognized ways to become distracted while driving. But the federal government looks at anything that can detract from your visual, manual and cognitive attention, and includes some additional factors.

Distracted driving is an issue everywhere. The number one form of distracted driving is using a phone, and it is becoming more of an issue everyday. According to an article “driver distractions” 80% of crashes and 65% of near crashes involve some form of driver distraction that occurred three seconds before the vehicle crash. The main causes that lead to the crashes are reaching for moving objects inside the vehicle, looking at an object or event outside the vehicle, reading, or cell phone use. Cell phone use is the number one reason for distracted driver crashes so, it is the topic that will be covered.

There is a variety of different of distractions, but the most dangerous out of all of them is the cell phone. When texting, the user's mind is on the message, their hands are typing, and their eyes are on the screen. All three of the main forms of distractions are in effect. Hands-free calling can be just as distracting. “It delays the driver’s reactions more than a blood alcohol content of 0.08% and increases the chance of crash four-fold” (Redwoods). Even with the help of hands-free calling, cellphones are a distraction and impair driving. (http://www.redwoodsgroup.com/safety-resources/transportation-guidance-and-tools/safety-guidance/distracted-driving-significant-problem-jewish-organizations/)

“A distracted driver may fail to see up to 50% of the available information in the driving environment. You may look but not actually “see” what is happening. Focus of the driver is not on the road or traffic and it becomes difficult to handle phone and vehicle at one time. Cell phones during driving also reduce the mental capacity of drivers as they fail to concentrate on minor or major activities happening around them. Cell phones distract drivers' attention resulting in comparatively slow response to traffic signals and other related traffic events. Studies have shown the fact that breaking reaction time is also slower while talking on a cell phone during driving. The perception, vision, general awareness, and concentration of the driver are impacted while communicating on a cell phone during driving. Especially during bad weather or driving on slippery roads, drivers engaging in conversation pay less attention to these areas increasing risks of fatal accidents.

Not only does using a cell phone while driving put the driver in danger, but it also puts other drivers in danger because it can be distracting.”Distracted driving affects all drivers from time to time and can come with stiff consequences,”(Delbridge). This shows that one is not only putting themselves in danger, but they are putting other drivers at risk as well.Thousands of people have been affected by these distracted drivers and have been injured. “About 424,000 people were injured in crashes involving a distracted driver,”(edgarsnyder.com 2018). This is just a small example of how many people who have been affected and this also shows how some of the other drivers are affected.

Using a cell phone while driving has become the biggest manual distraction while driving.  According to a study, conducted by The University of Utah (2013),

Studies conducted from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety shows that using a cell phone while driving significantly impairs a driver’s reaction time and triples the risk of being involved in a crash or near-crash, and text messaging increases crash risk by a multiple of 8 for all ages (NHTSA, 2009). Situational awareness is significantly decreased while engaging in distracted driving, and in turn inattention blindness is increased drastically creating a potentially deadly situation on the roads. A driver who is multitasking has less brain function available and thus literally fails to see or pay attention to things that are squarely in the field of vision (Texting and Driving, 2010). On the other hand there are those that may be able to multitask successfully though the challenge is

Once a driver gets on their phone, they also may decrease in speed because they are not focusing on the speedometer, which could lead to other drivers becoming agitated. Then the other drivers may exhibit road rage which could become dangerous to others on the road. A driver’s focus should always remain on the road. If one is on their phone they cannot see or hear what is happening around them. A driver being on the phone while driving is one of the biggest distractions drivers today face.

Mobile phone use in motor vehicles has increased at a remarkable rate over the past 15 years. Yet it is undeniable that utilizing a cell phone while driving can affect driver performance as it relates to the overall safe operation of a vehicle. There are a number of things to consider in deciding whether the trade off in convenience is worth the potential risks associated with the distraction created by a cell phone.