Texting Texting While While DrivingDriving -- --Another Another Kind of Kind of ImpairmImpairmentent

Texting While Driving Is Texting While Driving Is HazardousHazardous

Driving skill is measurably Driving skill is measurably impaired by text-messaging.impaired by text-messaging.

Writing text messages creates a Writing text messages creates a significantly greater impairment significantly greater impairment than reading text messages, but than reading text messages, but both are harmfulboth are harmful

Texting Drivers in the Texting Drivers in the NewsNews

A 17-year-old texting driver in New York state A 17-year-old texting driver in New York state swerved into oncoming traffic and hit a truck swerved into oncoming traffic and hit a truck head-on, killing herself and her four head-on, killing herself and her four passengers.passengers.

A texting California train engineer was A texting California train engineer was involved in the collision near Los Angeles that involved in the collision near Los Angeles that killed 25 passengers and injured 130 others.killed 25 passengers and injured 130 others.

A 27-year-old Arkansas texting driver crashed A 27-year-old Arkansas texting driver crashed his vehicle into another car, killing its driver his vehicle into another car, killing its driver (the Arkansas man was charged with (the Arkansas man was charged with negligent homicide, and had been also negligent homicide, and had been also drinking a beer at the time). drinking a beer at the time).

Texting Drivers in the Texting Drivers in the News, cont.News, cont.

An 18-year-old texting driver in Texas An 18-year-old texting driver in Texas slammed full-speed into a stopped slammed full-speed into a stopped vehicle, sending a 3-year-old vehicle, sending a 3-year-old passenger in that vehicle to the ICU passenger in that vehicle to the ICU at a local hospital with a broken skull.at a local hospital with a broken skull.

A 16-year-old texting driver in A 16-year-old texting driver in California lost control and dies in the California lost control and dies in the ensuing crash (she was also speeding ensuing crash (she was also speeding and had been drinking).and had been drinking).

What Studies Show About What Studies Show About TextingTexting

Driver inattention is involved in about Driver inattention is involved in about 80 percent of crashes (80 percent of crashes (NHTSA, 2006NHTSA, 2006))

46 percent of teenagers text while 46 percent of teenagers text while driving (driving (AAAAAA))

91% of Americans think that it’s unsafe 91% of Americans think that it’s unsafe to text message while driving and that to text message while driving and that it’s just as bad as driving after a couple it’s just as bad as driving after a couple of drinks (of drinks (Harris Poll, August 2007Harris Poll, August 2007))

What Studies Show About Cell What Studies Show About Cell PhonesPhones

Drivers talking on their cell phones Drivers talking on their cell phones were 18 percent slower braking than were 18 percent slower braking than other motorists (other motorists (University of Utah, 2005University of Utah, 2005))

Talking on a cell phone while driving Talking on a cell phone while driving caused impairment on par with caused impairment on par with driving with a blood-alcohol level of driving with a blood-alcohol level of 0.08 percent (0.08 percent (University of UtahUniversity of Utah))

What a What a RecentRecent Study Study Assessed Assessed

Impact of text messaging on driver Impact of text messaging on driver performanceperformance

Attitudes and beliefs that Attitudes and beliefs that surrounded the activity in the 17-25 surrounded the activity in the 17-25 age categoryage category

Study done by the Transport Study done by the Transport Research Laboratory in September Research Laboratory in September 2008.2008.

How the How the StudyStudy Worked Worked

Studied reaction times, car-following Studied reaction times, car-following ability, lane control, and driver speedability, lane control, and driver speed

Used a driving simulatorUsed a driving simulator 8 male, 9 female participants between 8 male, 9 female participants between

the ages of 17-24.the ages of 17-24. All described themselves as regular All described themselves as regular

users of text messaging and used users of text messaging and used phones with standard key pads.phones with standard key pads.

The Test The Test DrivesDrives

Participants took a 10-minute Participants took a 10-minute familiarization drive. Had to follow a familiarization drive. Had to follow a lead vehicle at a safe distance.lead vehicle at a safe distance.

On the next test drive, they had to On the next test drive, they had to read a text message, and compose read a text message, and compose and send a message.and send a message.

The third drive was without The third drive was without distractions.distractions.

What Texting What Texting DriversDrivers Did Did WrongWrong

While driving and texting, drivers:While driving and texting, drivers: failed to detect hazards,failed to detect hazards, responded to hazards more slowly, responded to hazards more slowly,

andand were exposed to risk for longer were exposed to risk for longer

periods.periods.

Negative Negative AffectsAffects

Less able to keep a constant Less able to keep a constant distance behind lead vehicledistance behind lead vehicle

Large increases in variability of lane Large increases in variability of lane positionposition

Many more lane departuresMany more lane departures In actual traffic, these driving errors In actual traffic, these driving errors

dramatically increase the likelihood dramatically increase the likelihood of collision.of collision.

Dangerously Slowed Reaction Dangerously Slowed Reaction TimesTimes

Reaction times are slower when Reaction times are slower when reading or writing a message.reading or writing a message.

Reaction time for drivers trying to Reaction time for drivers trying to compose a text message increased compose a text message increased from 1.2 to 1.6 seconds.from 1.2 to 1.6 seconds.

At highway speeds, drivers can At highway speeds, drivers can travel more than a mile while travel more than a mile while texting.texting.

Slowed Reaction Times, Slowed Reaction Times, cont.cont.

Slower reaction times result in an Slower reaction times result in an increased stopping distance of three increased stopping distance of three car lengths.car lengths.

Could easily make the difference Could easily make the difference between causing and avoiding an between causing and avoiding an accident or between a fatal and non-accident or between a fatal and non-fatal collision.fatal collision.

What Causes This What Causes This Impairment?Impairment?

Increased mental workload required Increased mental workload required to write a text messageto write a text message

Less physical control caused by Less physical control caused by holding the phoneholding the phone

Visual impairment caused by Visual impairment caused by continually looking back and forth continually looking back and forth from the phone display and the road from the phone display and the road aheadahead

Worse than Drinking, Worse than Drinking, Smoking PotSmoking Pot

Reaction-time impairment caused by Reaction-time impairment caused by texting while driving was apparently texting while driving was apparently greater than that caused by:greater than that caused by: drinking alcohol to the legal limit for drinking alcohol to the legal limit for

drivingdriving smoking potsmoking pot talking on a hands-free phone.talking on a hands-free phone.

Compared to three earlier TRL Compared to three earlier TRL studiesstudies

Who Texts and Who Texts and DrivesDrives??

In 2008, 2,002 members of the In 2008, 2,002 members of the social networking website social networking website Facebook were asked to self-Facebook were asked to self-report whether they text while report whether they text while driving.driving.

45% admitted doing so.45% admitted doing so.

Is Is GenderGender a Factor? a Factor?

Impairment caused by texting was Impairment caused by texting was far more significant for female far more significant for female rather than male drivers.rather than male drivers.

However, male drivers are more However, male drivers are more likely to text and drive.likely to text and drive.

As a result, overall impairment As a result, overall impairment across the sexes may be more equal.across the sexes may be more equal.

SolutionsSolutions

Don’t get into the habit of texting and Don’t get into the habit of texting and driving.driving.

If you already do it, stop. Pull over if If you already do it, stop. Pull over if you have urgent business or an you have urgent business or an emergency.emergency.

Don’t ride with drivers who are texting. Don’t ride with drivers who are texting. Tell them to stop.Tell them to stop.

Concentrate on traffic and other Concentrate on traffic and other drivers while you are behind the wheel.drivers while you are behind the wheel.