In February 2022, the cantons with the highest number of deaths from traffic accidents They were Quito (28) and Guayaquil (18), according to data from the National Transit Agency. Most of these events occurred with private vehicles.
The main cause listed (makes up 26% of cases) is “driving unaware of traffic conditions, due to cell phones, video screens, food, makeup or any other distracting element. This corresponds to 436 claims.
Anything that takes your mind off the road is considered a distraction, says Cornell University’s Bronfenbrenner Center for Translational Research. One way to avoid it is to practice concentration techniques, such as mindfulness.
As for the United States, this center mentions that distracted drivers kill eight people every day, on average. And in this case, it is young people who cause most of these deaths: 25% of those responsible are around 20 years old.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are three ways people are distracted while driving:
- Taking your eyes off the road
- Taking your hands off the wheel
- Taking your mind off driving
Many drivers believe that the problem is in messaging, because it involves using your hands, and that, on the other hand, there is no danger in having a conversation on the speakerphone. A 2018 review of the magazine Human Factors concluded that any conversation, whether on the phone, hands-free, or talking to a passenger in the car, leads to a reduction in driving.
Most people who talk on the phone while driving compensate by slowing down and leaving more space between their vehicle and the one in front of them.
Of course, using the phone keypad is much riskier. So if you start the car with a call in mind, it is recommended to ring before leaving.
The situation is also worrying in China, where a more recent study, from 2021, examines the effect of using voice-activated applications, favorite among young people. The typical behavior of these drivers is to swing from side to side in their lane, with less reaction time (especially when the traffic light changes color) and more likely to cause a collision.
Not only for motorists is the warning. When bicycling or even walking, people make worse decisions when they’re distracted by their phones, walking more slowly when crossing the street and missing the proper time to cross, according to a publication from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. In addition, cyclists reduce head movements to recognize hazards in their environment. The way to compensate, again, is to slow down or stop.
What to do to avoid being distracted behind the wheel?
Concentration or mindfulness training can help. The Bronfenbrenner center insists that having a focused mindset improves driving behavior. When the driver’s mind wanders, he misses hazards, makes mistakes and ends up in crashes.
There is some evidence that practicing certain exercises before or during travel, such as taking slow, deep breaths, can help you stay focused and avoid using your phone or hands-free devices.
What is distracted driving?
There are three types of distractions, as already mentioned: manual (letting go of the wheel), visual (taking your eyes off the road), and cognitive (engaging in face-to-face or phone conversations, daydreaming, or anything else that takes you out of the present).
Psychologist Guy Winch, an advocate for the science of emotional health, suggests that we get into trouble when we try to multitask, because our cognitive capacity is reduced. We hurt our gray matter, Winch says, especially when you’re a teenager or young adult using multiple types of media at the same time.
If that multitasking involves texting while driving, reaction time becomes the equivalent of drunk driving, Winch says. In Ecuador, if a private car driver has between 0.3 and 0.8 degrees of alcohol, is sanctioned with a fine equivalent to a unified basic salary, five points less on the license and five days in prison. If it exceeds 0.8 degrees, the sanction increases to fifteen days in jail and ten points less.
According to data from the American insurance company Travelers, 25% of drivers confess that they do other things while driving, because they think they can control it and stay safe. But data from the TrueMotion app, which tracks driver performance (and extends to car-using family members), shows that Americans are distracted in their cars at least three miles every day. The numbers from the American Automobile Association confirm the culture of distraction. This organization publishes a Traffic Safety Culture Index every year, which shows that 88% of drivers perceive that distractions have increased.
According to Travelers, which runs its own Risk Index, there is a disconnect between what drivers believe to be safe and the reality on the streets. April has been designated in the United States as Distracted Driving Awareness Month, and the index, which is based on a survey of users, found that 61% of those who respond to texts, emails and calls while driving they do it because they fear it might be an emergency.
And while most people know that they put themselves in danger when they do these things, the data from the apps TrueMotion Family Safe Driving show that this does not change their behavior: 40% of people behind the wheel are distracted for an average of fifteen minutes every hour on the road. (I)
Source: Eluniverso
Paul is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment and general news. He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established herself as a respected voice in the industry.
