Technology can cause driving distraction

  • Published
  • By the 56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs and 56th Fighter Wing Safety Office
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. --  To some it may seem that the insatiable desire to make calls or send text messages cannot be contained, even though it puts the user and others on the road in danger.

But it is illegal on military installations and in some states.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, driver inattention is a leading cause of traffic crashes and is responsible for about 80 percent of all collisions. Crashes are considered the number-one cause of accidental death in the United States.

The 56th Fighter Wing Safety Office reminds Luke Thunderbolts that it is important to pay close attention to personal driving habits and those of other drivers.

Cell phone use while driving fact sheet

- Using cell phones while driving is a very high risk behavior with significant impact on crashes and society. More than 50 peer-reviewed scientific studies have identified the risks associated with cell phone use while driving, according to the National Safety Council. 

- Drivers who use cell phones are four times more likely to be in a crash while using a cell phone. (1997 New England Journal of Medicine examination of hospital records and 2005 Insurance Institute for Highway Safety study linking crashes to cell phone records.)

- There is no difference in the cognitive distraction between hand-held and hands-free devices. (Simulator studies at the University of Utah.)

- Cell phone use contributes to an estimated six percent of all crashes, which equates to 636,000 crashes, 330,000 injuries, 12,000 serious injuries and 2,600 deaths each year. (Harvard Center of Risk Analysis.)

- Of all crashes, 80 percent are related to driver inattention. There are certain activities that may be more dangerous than talking on a cell phone. However, cell phone use occurs more frequently and for longer durations than other, riskier behaviors. Thus, the number one source of driver inattention is cell phones. (Virginia Tech 100-car study for NHTSA.)

- The annual cost of crashes caused by cell phone use is estimated to be $43 billion. (Harvard Center for Risk Analysis.)

- Talking to a passenger while driving is significantly safer than talking on a cell phone. (University of Utah.)