Distracted driving

Distracted driving is the act of driving while engaged in other activities—such as looking after children, texting, talking on the phone or to a passenger, watching videos, eating, rubbernecking or reading. These activities take the driver's attention away from the road. All distractions compromise the safety of the driver, passengers, bystanders and those in other vehicles.

According to the United States Department of Transportation, "text messaging while driving creates a crash risk 23 times higher than driving while not distracted." Despite these statistics, more than 37% of drivers have admitted to sending or receiving text messages while driving, and 18% admit doing so regularly.

Distractions while driving can be separated into three distinct groups: visual, manual, and cognitive. Visual distraction involves taking one's eyes off the road, while manual distraction involves taking one's hands off the wheel. Cognitive distraction occurs when an individual's focus is not directly on the act of driving and his/her mind "wanders".

Distractions influenced by the advancement of technology, especially text messaging or talking on the phone, can require a combination of visual, manual, and cognitive attention from the driver, thus making these types of distractions particularly dangerous.

Texting while driving is the most widely reported form of "distracted driving", but it is not the only one. Having passengers on the vehicle, changing radio stations, searching for the cell phone charger, or putting make-up on are all distractions that can easily lead to an accident. According to a study made by AAA Foundation for traffic safety, 15 percent of reported crashes were due to a teen driver distracted by talking with a passenger, while another 12 percent of the crashes were because the teen was on a cell phone talking, texting or searching for information while driving. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has determined that distracted driving accounts for 25 percent of all crashes involving teenage drivers.

According to the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2008, nearly 11% of drivers—approximately one million individuals—used a mobile device at some time. Additionally, 35–50% of drivers admit to cell phone use while driving, while 90% of drivers fear those who do.

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Wikipedia