The degree to which a competing activity undermines driving safety is a function of the degree of distraction associated with the activity and the extent to which the driver is exposed to that activity. A number of studies have attempted to quantify the amount of time drivers spend engaging in distracting activities. This research is still in its infancy and the majority of the studies have focused on mobile cell phone use only, although some data exists for other distraction sources. Studies examining driver exposure to distracting activities and patterns of interaction have used a range of methods to collect exposure data: telephone and mail surveys, roadside observation, and naturalistic driving studies. This chapter focuses on the findings from the various exposure studies that have been conducted to date.
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