Who is the Most at Risk for Distracted Driving Accidents?

Distracted driving is one of the greatest contributors to car accidents today. Studies show that a hazard that has long been attributed to the actions of technology-obsessed teens is a behavior many Americans are guilty of.

Young Drivers and Phone Use

Young drivers could be considered the unofficial face of distracted driving. Young people are on their phones more than older people in general, and that behavior tends to extend to driving time  — almost 70% of drivers age 16-19 (surveyed by AAA) said they talk on the phone while driving, and over 50% said they read texts or emails behind the wheel.

Older Drivers and Vehicle Systems

A study published by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety revealed a distracted driving issue that many may be unaware of. Although the frequency of younger people driving distracted may be higher, the study shows that distractions take up more driving time for older offenders.

The research analyzed acts of distracted driving among drivers ages 55 to 75, and drivers ages 21 to 36. The study focused on the use of in-car technology such as navigation software and radios, as well as cell phone use.

According to an article from The State, older drivers took 40 seconds to use a navigation device (specifically entering a destination), while younger drivers could complete the same task in 31.4 seconds. To send a text while driving, older drivers in the study required 33.8 seconds, and younger drivers sent a text in an average of 27.7 seconds. To make a phone call, older drivers took 24.4 seconds. Younger drivers were able to make phone calls in 17.7 seconds. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety established a range of 4.7 to 8.6 added seconds, on average, that it took for older drivers to engage in other activities while driving when compared to the average time it took for younger drivers to do the same thing.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that nine people are killed in a distracted driving accident every day in the United States, and over 1,000 are injured. Distracted driving is one of the most significant dangers on today’s roads. Contact Pierce, Sloan, Kennedy & Early LLC if you were injured in an accident.