Accidents caused by distracted driving have risen over the past ten years with the rise of the mobile phone. For drivers trying to avoid distractions and stay focused on the road, the challenges are many, from incoming phone calls to adjusting the sat nav. But what can drivers do to reduce distractions, stay focused on the road and avoid accidents?
This post explores the impact distractions have on road safety before looking at the most common causes of distraction. We also talk about how Road Angel has sought to reduce distracted driving by developing a road safety assistant that keeps driver attention focused on the road.
How serious is distracted driving?
Distractions take a motorist's attention off driving, which can cause a driver to miss critical events, objects, and cues, all potentially leading to an accident.
Distraction is a leading cause of accidents, with a fifth (19%) happening as the driver wasn’t paying attention – from reaching for their phone to being unable to see through the windscreen.
In the UK in 2022, there were 2,616 road traffic collisions where ‘distraction inside vehicle’ was cited as the contributory factor – 76 of these collisions were fatal.
Distracted drivers not only put themselves at risk, but everyone else using the road.
What causes distracted driving?
There has been much attention given to driver distraction due to the use of mobile phones in vehicles, but research has increasingly revealed the dangers of many other forms of driver multi-tasking and their contribution to road collisions.
It takes a split second to lose concentration, whether eating or drinking something, changing locations on a GPS, reaching for a bag or something on the floor or turning to talk to a passenger.
A substantial body of research shows that using a hand-held or hands-free mobile phone while driving is a significant distraction, substantially increasing the risk of the driver crashing.
Used well, fixed hands-free devices such as sat navs can help drivers plan routes and prevent them from making last-minute lane changes or hesitating because they aren’t sure of the directions.
However, a badly used device can distract the driver and increase the risk of a collision. Drivers must understand how best to use their devices and learn not to use them when it may be dangerous or choose devices that will improve road safety, not put them at greater risk.
How technology can help reduce distractions and increase driver focus
Reducing driver distractions hinges on reducing the number of times a driver needs to look away from the road to get the information they need to drive safely while keeping the driver focused on their speed and the road ahead.
When mounted correctly, any device designed to aid driving should be visible in the driver's peripheral line of sight leaving the windscreen completely clear of obstructions. The driver should be provided with the key information they need all in one place, so they spend less time taking their eyes off the road.
We developed the Pure series to reduce distractions and increase driver focus by providing the driver with key information including Road Speed Limit, Digital Speedometer, Peripheral Alerts and Safety Alerts on a "Heads-Up Display" in the driver's peripheral vision.
Providing all this information in one place within the peripheral line of sight means you never need to be unsure of the speed limit, what speed you are doing, or whether cameras are nearby while keeping concentrated on the road ahead.
If you accidentally creep over a speed limit the Pure will alert you with visual and audible cues to remind you to adjust your speed as well as alert you to the distance of fixed speed cameras, mobile camera vans, average speed cameras, red light cameras, bus lane cameras, smart motorways and lane closures.
Key takeaways
- Distraction is one of the biggest causes of accidents and fatalities in the UK and worldwide.
- Potential distractions are everywhere from calls on your hands-free to changing songs or other passengers talking to you.
- Some devices designed to aid drivers can cause excessive distraction if positioned and used incorrectly leading to accidents.
- Having key road safety information in one place within your line of sight will reduce distractions lowering your risk of being involved in an accident.
