The distracted driver is responsible for about one in four accidents on the road, according to United States government statistics compiled by the Department of Transportation. It reports that in 2013, 3,154 people died in motor vehicle accidents where distracted driving was an issue. That comes to about nine people per day.
In contrast, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that 30 people die in alcohol-related traffic accidents each day. In 2013, 10,076 people were killed by impaired drivers. That’s one death roughly every 51 minutes, or one-third of traffic fatalities in the United States each year.
Clearly, both are major problems. But while most people realize that drunken or drug-impaired driving is not showing good judgment, far more people engage in distracted driving. A quick glance, or brief look away from the road, is something that is easy to do and has far less social stigma.
What is distracted driving?
Distracted driving can include such major distractions as texting with a smartphone, grooming, reading or looking at maps, adjusting the radio, or talking on a cell phone. But it also can include mundane tasks as eating and drinking, talking to passengers, and using a navigation system. All require your vision and attention, and in some cases, manual input.