Can I Have Your Attention For A Moment?

Most of us multitask when we are on the road. The briefcase spills out on the floor, we eat on the run, text when we’re stuck in traffic, the baby cries in the backseat, and the phone dings with every new message or call. Many people believe that they are talented multitaskers and routinely drive while doing other things. That can be deadly for the driver and all the people—passengers, other drivers, bicyclists, and pedestrians—around them.

Technology has added to the list of driver distractions with cell phones, dashboard display screens, onboard navigation systems, and texting/email/social connections/videos on phones and tablets. The National Academy of Sciences recently released the results of a large-scale study that quantifies the increased risks of accidents as a result of distracted driving:

• Operating the car’s radio increases the risk by a factor of 2
• Using touchscreen menus increases the risk by a factor of 4.6
• Texting increases the risk by a factor of 6.1
• Reaching for an object or reading/writing increases the risk by a factor of 9
• Dialing a cell phone increases the risk by a factor of 12.2

Hands-free technology is an imperfect solution. Talking to your car is more mentally distracting than talking to a passenger and how an auto manufacturer implements a voice-activated system impacts its risk factor. AAA’s Foundation for Traffic Safety found that completing the very same task ranged from risk factors of 2.4 to 4.6 depending upon a car’s make and model.

A lot of applied behavioral research (which combines cognitive science and engineering) is focused on improving safety for today’s drivers. Manufacturers are offering features to compensate for increased distractions, including automatic emergency braking, front-facing radar, blind-spot monitors, and lane-departure warning systems. However, manufacturers can only do so much to mitigate the risks and a driver is still the cause of the vast majority of auto accidents.

It usually takes time and a concerted effort to change our social norms. Distracted driving is tolerated now, much like public smoking was in the past. At some point, through a combination of laws and changing social perceptions, it will become more unacceptable. One of the most effective tactics that reduced smoking was education. Children were taught the dangers of smoking and asked their parents to quit. Once second-hand smoke became an issue, children’s requests often changed to “Please don’t smoke because it’s dangerous for me.” We can take an important lesson from the anti-smoking campaign for distracted driving. We not only need to commit to driving attentively, but we also need to speak up when our family and friends choose distracted driving. It may be uncomfortable to say “Please don’t text while you’re driving because it’s dangerous for both of us,” but it’s an effective way to begin to change awareness about distracted driving.

April is Distracted Driving Month, a perfect time to self-assess driving habits and commit to being fully attentive drivers at all times. We can make common sense choices that involve minor inconveniences, but may save lives. It’s easy to make a habit of setting the navigation system before we hit the road, put away our phones while we are driving, and pull over first if we have to use the phone or set the GPS. We also need to talk with our young drivers and set clear expectations for their driving behavior, including distracted driving. More importantly, we must show that we take distracted driving seriously by being a good example.

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