A common household item found in cars, such as phones, is contributing to 15 per cent of accidents, according to recent warnings. Nick Ielpo, UK Country Manager at Prima, emphasized that any distraction that takes a driver’s eyes off the road, even for a few seconds, can increase the risk of an accident. While stricter penalties have made some drivers think twice about using their phones while driving, there is still a concerning number of individuals who do not recognize the danger or choose to ignore it.
A study revealed that approximately 12 per cent of accidents occur because the driver was fiddling with a smartphone, which is just behind the distraction caused by talking to someone else in the car, accounting for 15 per cent of accidents. Jennifer Ryan from the AAA Foundation For Traffic Safety in Washington DC noted that teenagers, in particular, are highly attached to their cell phones, often engaging in texting or using social media while driving, exacerbating an already unsafe situation.
In a groundbreaking study conducted by a traffic safety charity, over 2,200 videos from in-car dash cameras were analyzed to identify the top distractions leading up to a crash. The research identified attending to or looking at something inside the vehicle as the third most common cause of accidents, accounting for 11 per cent of crashes. Jurek Grabowski, research director for the Foundation, highlighted that distraction remains one of the primary causes of crashes for teen drivers, resulting in an average of ten deaths per day during the summer driving season.
Furthermore, the study found that the way teenagers use their phones while driving has evolved significantly over time. By gaining a better understanding of how teens are distracted on the road, preventative measures can be implemented to reduce the number of fatalities during the 100 Deadliest Days and beyond. It is crucial for drivers, especially young individuals, to prioritize road safety by eliminating distractions and focusing on the task of driving to prevent accidents and save lives.