We often hear concerns about impaired driving, yet distracted and drowsy driving can be just as dangerous. Distracted driving includes cell phone use (hands-free or not), email or text messaging, reading, eating and even interacting with passengers. Any activity which removes focus from the road and driving conditions can pose danger.
According to the CDC, there are three main types of distraction: visual, manual and cognitive. Emailing and text messaging while driving is considered to be especially dangerous as all three types of distraction are involved. According to the National Safety Council, a crash involving drivers distracted by cell phone use and texting occurs about every 24 seconds in the U.S. A live count of such crashes can be viewed here.
Additionally, drowsy driving contributes to a number of accidents and is often compared to drunk driving, according to the CDC. The National Sleep Foundation stresses that sleep deprivation and fatigue make lapses of attention more likely to occur.
For your safety and that of others, avoid distracted and drowsy driving. Get good sleep, give the road your full attention, pull over if you need to use a mobile device or take a quick nap, and remind passengers in your car that safely arriving at your destination is a shared goal. Drive safe!
Resources:
Centers for Disease Control. http://www.cdc.gov/motorvehiclesafety/distracted_driving/
National Safety Council. http://www.nsc.org/safety_road/Distracted_Driving/Pages/DistractedDrivingResearchandStatistics.aspx
Centers for Disease Control. http://www.cdc.gov/Features/dsDrowsyDriving/
DrowsyDriving.org, National Sleep Foundation. http://drowsydriving.org/about/facts-and-stats
