Journal Article

Distracted Driving and Risk of Road Crashes among Novice and Experienced Drivers

Simons-Morton, Bruce G, Ouimet, Marie Claude, Klauer, Sheila G, Dingus, Thomas A, Lee, Suzanne E, Guo, Feng

2014

Overview

In a study of novice and experienced drivers in cars in which cameras and sensors had been installed, the authors found significant associations between secondary tasks (e.g., cell-phone dialing) and the risk of a crash or near-crash, particularly among novice drivers. Drivers who are 15 to 20 years of age constitute 6.4% of all drivers, but they account for 10.0% of all motor vehicle traffic deaths and 14.0% of all police-reported crashes resulting in injuries. 1 These rates are thought to result from a combination of young age, inexperience, and risky driving behaviors. 2 One of the riskiest driving behaviors is the performance of a secondary task, and novice drivers appear to be particularly prone to this distraction. 3 Distracted driving has been defined as the “diversion of attention away from activities critical for safe driving toward a competing activity.” 4 Drivers engage in many . . .

• Publisher: Massachusetts Medical Society
• Subject: Accidents, Traffic - statistics & numerical data / Adolescent / Adult / Attention / Automobile drivers / Automobile driving / Automobile Driving - psychology / Automobile Driving - statistics & numerical data / Biological and medical sciences / Cameras / Cell Phone / Distracted driving / Female / General aspects / Humans / Male / Medical sciences / Psychomotor Performance / Risk / Teenagers / Text Messaging / Traffic accidents & safety / United States