In addition to the National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) recommendation Dec. 13 to stop using all electronic devices while driving, the government has created an official website dedicated to raising awareness and putting an end to distracted driving. According to the website Distraction.gov, 5,500 people were killed and 450,000 more were injured in distracted driving crashes in 2009.
Despina Stavrinos, Ph.D., is a researcher investigating distracted driving at the University of Alabama (UAB) at Birmingham’s University Transportation Center, part of the UAB Injury Control Research Center. Stavrinos said in a phone interview that distracted driving is a serious epidemic and the number of drivers distracted while driving is probably higher today than in years past.
“So many people are willing to put their life on the line, as well as others,” said Stavrinos, who asserts one reason may be that we are too glued to our cellphones. Stavrinos said that she did not want to say that we are ‘addicted’ to cellphones, but eventually did.
“There are shifts in the culture norms. Decades ago people never used seat belts but now people feel weird if they do not have on their seat belts. Many people feel that way. In my opinion, that is how we should think of using a cellphone while driving; that is my hope,” said Stavrinos.
How can we shift to a culture of focused, safe driving from that of distracted, unsecured driving? Stavrinos said we can start by teaching our children, “Little kids learn from their parents and they see their parents using the cellphone while driving. As older people like parents stop using the phone, eventually teens will not either.”
Stavrinos listed technology, research, legislation, and education as four major keys to promoting focused driving.
One technology developed to stop cellphone use while driving was developed by Zoomsafer. The software developer offers products, which monitor fleet employees, and automatically restrict texting, browsing, and email while driving. ZoomSafer CEO Matt Howard created it after he almost killed a 9-year-old boy while driving distracted.
According to Stavrinos, more research needs to be carried out, “For example, some people think hands free are fine, but we are not sure. We need more research.”
To date, there are 35 states that ban texting. “Where I live, in Alabama, there is no ban. We have a long way to go. We need all 50 states. Then people know ‘I can’t do this’ and the same with the seat belt. It also helps parents to tell their kids that they cannot use their cellphones while driving,” said Stavrinos.
Stavrinos said distracted driving is common among teens who are inexperienced drivers.
