U.S. Drivers Top Charts: Unfortunately In Mobile Calls and Texting

We’re Number 1.  We’re Number 1.  Sounds good, but, according to a report just released by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), road traffic crashes are a global public health problem, contributing to an estimated 1.3 million deaths annually and U.S. drivers are indeed distracted.

While known risk factors for accidents include speed, alcohol, non-use of restraints, and non-use of helmets, another factor is increasingly at play. The culprit is driver distraction, thanks to our nifty mobile devices and boundless appetite for calls, texts and data – all while driving.

To assess the prevalence of mobile device use while driving in countries ranging from the United States to Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and the Kingdom, the CDC analyzed data from the 2011 EuroPNStyles and HealthStyles surveys.

The report found that among drivers ages 18–64 years, the prevalence of talking on a cell phone while driving at least once in the past 30 days ranged from 21% in the UK to 69% in the United States.  What’s more, the prevalence of drivers who had read or sent text or e-mail messages while driving at least once in the past 30 days ranged from 15% in Spain to 31% in the United States.

According to the CDC, lessons learned from successful road safety efforts aimed at reducing other risky driving behaviors, such as seat belt non-use and alcohol-impaired driving, could be helpful to the United States and other.  The organization cited strategies to measure legislation, combined with high-visibility enforcement and public education campaigns, to determine their effectiveness in reducing mobile device use while driving. It also recommended that “the role of emerging vehicle and mobile communication technologies” in reducing distracted driving–related crashes should be explored.

 

Category: Driver Stuff, General Update, Safety