The Lowdown on Distracted Drivers

This week I added Driving to Distraction, by Esurance, to IJ’s Research & Trends as a resource for discussion around driver safety, whether with family members or clients. The study involved research of over 1,000 drivers with in-car safety technology and finds that more than 50% of drivers surveyed admit to risky driving behavior. Page 2 identifies the top forms of distraction, which you will note, include in-car technology (navigation and warning sounds).

Survey respondents indicate a higher level of distraction associated with the new technology and some are disabling the features meant to improve safety. Though not mentioned in the survey, I’d add that the advancements in touch screen and consolidation of features into a single panel have raised my distraction level considerably. The number of touches required to move between navigation and audio choices demand fine motor skills and multiple decisions. Further, use of the directional blinker, automatically switches the navigation view to external camera view of traffic lanes, disabling navigation, (often at critical times), and causing confusion. I often long for a crank window and simple nobs and switches.

This report offers a quick read and is worth sharing in your network or re-purposing for sound bites on your social media feeds. As we head into the spring, a time of proms, graduations and weddings, this report reminds us to check our own distracted behaviors and discussing them with those we care about. This report concludes with this thought:

“Until we admit accountability for our own distractions, we can’t rely on in-car technology to squelch distracted driving. Every advancement in car tech requires that we adapt as drivers to safely — and attentively — take advantage of the promising road ahead.” — Esurance

Give Driving to Distraction a quick view before hitting the road this weekend. Never miss a report by subscribing to our Research & Trends newsletter! Happy reading.