lesson 8.2DISTRACTIONS INSIDE THE VEHICLE

Driver distractions or inattentive driving are estimated to play a part in one out of every four motor vehicle crashes.

OBJECTIVE Identify five different categories of inside-the-vehicle distractions.

Distraction or inattention is a factor in 1.5 million collisions each year and more than 4,300 crashes each day in the U.S.!

The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety suggests that when a driver’s eyes are away from the driving scene ahead for more than two seconds, the odds of being in a crash or near-crash double.

Among the different categories of inside-the-vehicle distractions are:

•cell phones•vehicle equipment or controls•animals and insects•food and drink•passengers•loose objects

OBJECTIVE Explain why cell phone usage while driving can be distracting.

Cell Phones

Many newer models of cell phones act as multimedia systems to:

•take and share photos•send and receive text messages•act as navigational systems•access the Internet

Hazards

Distractions such as reaching to pick up a cell phone, making or receiving a call, and sending or receiving a text message are common with cell phone usage.

•Carrying on a conversation on a cell phone while driving causes a lack of focus on the driving task since your attention is on the conversation.

•Many drivers unknowingly reduce their vehicle speed while talking on a cell phone.

•This behavior can cause conflict if vehicles in the rear are driving at the speed limit, especially at night.

As awareness of the hazards of cell phone usage while driving has increased, efforts have been made to reduce driver distraction.

•educating the public about the hazards

•hands-free technology

•legislation in some states outlawing non-emergency cell phone usage while driving

This driver has pulled off the road while talking on the cell phone.

Cell Phone Behavior Compared by Selected Demographics

The copyright holder has not granted permission to display this photograph in a downloadable format. You may view the photograph in the Drive Right Presentation for this lesson on your Keys to Teaching Success disc.

This driver is using hands-free technology to send and receive calls without having to remove a hand from the steering wheel. The copyright holder has not granted

permission to display this photograph in a downloadable format. You may view the photograph in the Drive Right Presentation for this lesson on your Keys to Teaching Success disc.

OBJECTIVE Describe how a driver can reduce inside-the-vehicle distractions.

Vehicle Equipment or Controls

Advancements in technology have resulted in many different systems and components for vehicle safety, comfort, information, control, and entertainment.

•How has this new technology contributed to driver distraction?

•Some states have laws prohibiting any visible video displays within view of the driver.

•Elaborate vehicle sound systems can hinder a driver’s ability to hear other vehicles and can create an audible distraction to people outside the vehicle.

What distractions might be related to such a sound system?

The copyright holder has not granted permission to display this photograph in a downloadable format. You may view the photograph in the Drive Right Presentation for this lesson on your Keys to Teaching Success disc.

In some communities, local ordinances prohibit very loud volume levels.

This steering wheel has volume control to help reduce distractions.

A vehicle navigation system provides drivers with information about a vehicle’s position and guides drivers to a destination, and it is also a source of potential distraction.

A driver’s focus can be diverted because they

•look at the screen

•listen to directions

•try to input data into the system while driving

How can passengers help reduce driver distraction if you’re using a vehicle navigation system while you’re traveling?

Other Distractions

Animals and Insects

•Before driving, check to see if there are any insects in the vehicle before you start driving.

•If you are already in traffic and notice a bee or insect, stay calm and look for a spot to safely pull out of traffic and stop; then deal with the bee or insect.

• Large animals that move around can distract drivers and even block their view.

• Holding a pet while driving is unsafe behavior. It places the pet at a higher risk of being injured or killed should a crash occur.

The copyright holder has not granted permission to display this photograph in a downloadable format. You may view the photograph in the Drive Right Presentation for this lesson on your Keys to Teaching Success disc.

If you have a pet, invest in a pet safety belt and make sure you use it any time you have your pet in the vehicle. The copyright holder has not granted

permission to display this photograph in a downloadable format. You may view the photograph in the Drive Right Presentation for this lesson on your Keys to Teaching Success disc.

Food and Drink

•Drivers may look at their food instead of the road, creating a visual distraction.

•When drivers remove one or both hands from the wheel to hold the food or drink, they are causing a biomechanical distraction.

Passengers

The behavior of passengers can easily distract a driver.

•Describe some possible passenger distractions.•How can a driver control a distracting

passenger?

Research has shown that young, novice drivers are more likely to be distracted by peers in the vehicle while driving.

As the number of passengers increases, so does the likelihood of driver distraction and the risk of being involved in a crash.

Loose Objects

Objects hanging from the rearview mirror could move and fall due to a sudden stop or a turn taken too quickly.

•How can objects placed on top of the dashboard or the rear window ledge be a distraction?

A cluttered back window ledge can block a driver’s view of the traffic scene behind.

What type of impact force do you suppose an airborne tissue box traveling 55 mph would have on a passenger or driver?

lesson 8.2 review1. What are five different categories of inside-the-

vehicle distractions?

2. Why is dialing a cell phone or text messaging while driving distracting?