Research On Driver Distraction In School Zones And More

One out of every six drivers in school zones is distracted, according to a recent study from Safe Kids USA, a member of a network of organizations whose mission is to prevent accidental childhood injury. With cell phones, email and text messaging being added to the list of more traditional distractions like eating and grooming, drivers are more distracted than ever, which can be potentially dangerous to children as they walk to and from school.

Researchers from Safe Kids USA conducted roadside observations of drivers in active school zones at 20 middle schools located in 15 states. Of the 41,426 cars observed, about 10% of drivers were caught using handheld electronics such as cell phones, PDAs and Smartphones. These devices were the leading type of distraction observed. And while laws on using electronics while driving are still being hotly debated, the study shows that states that have laws are 13% less likely to have distracted drivers in school zones.

More Research Results

• Seat belt use: Drivers who don’t wear a seatbelt are 34% more likely to be distracted than drivers who are buckled up. As a driver, if you engage in one risky behavior, you are more likely to engage in multiple unsafe driving behaviors.
• Time of day: Afternoon drivers are 22% more likely to be distracted than morning drivers. Throughout the year, one in three child pedestrian deaths occur between 3 and 7 p.m., making afternoon the most dangerous time for children to walk.
• Gender: Female drivers are 21% more likely to be distracted than male drivers. That doesn’t mean male drivers are off the hook—their rate of distraction was still very high.
• Traffic volume: People driving on roads with a lot of traffic are 16% more likely to be distracted than those driving on roads with less traffic.

Recent studies have measured the driving skills of distracted drivers showing they perform as badly as or worse than drivers who are drunk. This is frightening for anyone on the road, but it’s a particularly dangerous situation when kids are added into the mix.

To learn more about Safe Kids USA, visit their website at www.usa.safekids.org.

Source: Safe Kids USA