Driver distraction as a cause of motor vehicle traffic crashes has become an increasingly important issue. A 1996 study 1 published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that driver distraction in all its various forms probably contributes to between 20 and 30 percent of all crashes. In 1999, data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System revealed that driver distraction was a contributing factor in 11 percent of fatal crashes involving 4,462 fatalities. Additionally, the BASS General Estimates System estimated that various forms of driver distraction contributed to between 25 and 30 percent of injury and property-damage-only crashes. Driver distraction and inattention can come from factors inside and outside of the vehicle. Observing passing scenery and/or persons outside of the vehicle can distract a driver from controlling the vehicle. Inside a vehicle a driver can be distracted by discussions with other vehicle occupants, eating or drinking, or attending to any of the numerous electronic devices found in the vehicle, primarily the radio or other sound system equipment. As more vehicles become equipped with other electronic devices such as navigational aids, the potential for driver distraction will increase. Another source of potential driver distraction that has received much recent attention is the use of cell phones. The use of cell phones has been variously reported as contributing to the cause of a significant number of traffic crashes. Many states and localities have considered restricting cell phone use in moving vehicles within their jurisdictions. Even the use of cell phones with the aid of “hands-free” devices can distract drivers, although the use of such equipment does permit the driver to keep both hands on the steering wheel. The actual contribution of cell phone use as a contributing factor or cause of a motor vehicle crash is difficult to quantify. The mere presence of a cell phone in a vehicle does not indicate that it was in use just prior to a crash or that its use contributed to the cause of the crash. Also, because of potential liability issues, drivers who were using a cell phone prior to a crash are not likely to report that fact to an investigating police officer. Quantifying the actual use of cell phones by motor vehicle drivers while they are driving is difficult. Anecdotally, most people can cite numerous instances where they were driving and observed someone using a cell phone and, often, driving slow or erratically. The 2000 Motor Vehicle Occupant Safety Survey, a telephone survey conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) from November 2000 to January 2001 and whose results will be published later this year, estimated that 54 percent of drivers “usually” have some type of wireless phone in their vehicle with them. Fifty-five percent of these drivers report that their phone is on during “all” or “most” of their trips and 73 percent reported using their phone while driving. These estimates, however, are not an indication of how many drivers are actually using their cell phone at any specified time. To obtain such an estimate, actual cell phone use by drivers while they are in the act of driving would need to be observed. NHTSA concluded that such observations could be made through its National Occupant Protection Use Survey (NOPUS) to obtain National estimates of driver cell phone use. In the NOPUS, trained data collectors obtain shoulder belt use data through observation of motor vehicle occupants and National shoulder belt use rates are estimated. NOPUS data collection protocols were expanded to include observation of driver hand-held cell phone use, and such information was collected during the NOPUS conducted during October and November 2000. (Author/publisher) This research note may be accessed by Internet users at http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/ncsa/ResearchNotes/809-293.pdf
Samenvatting