distracted driving

Are Head-up Displays And Voice Command Technologies As Dangerous As Manual Texting While Driving

By Todd Halterman
Are Head-up Displays And Voice Command Technologies As Dangerous As Manual Texting While Driving

From drinking coffee to eating a donut to putting on makeup or touching up a morning shave, as drivers we’re often guilty of performing “secondary tasks” in our cars. As a result, there’s been an uptick in injuries – and even fatalities – directly tied to distracted driving. And now “wearable technologies” are coming under scrutiny as well. While it may seem at first glance that devices such as Google Glass, which include features such…

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Fatal car crash data could be missing cell phone use

By Consumer Insurance Guide Staff
Fatal car crash data could be missing cell phone use

Although the connection between cell phone use and impaired driving is well established, their relation to fatal car accidents could be underreported. A study by the National Safety Council examined 180 crashes from 2009 to 2011 and discovered that among fatal crashes where the driver was using a cell phone, only 52 percent of them were recorded as such. For example, in January 2010 a Michigan teenager was talking on the phone to a friend…

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Accidents double for seniors who take their pets in the car

By Consumer Insurance Guide Staff
Accidents double for seniors who take their pets in the car

Seniors who take Fido or Fluffy along for a ride to the store probably think of it as just a fun outing and a way to spend time together. Unfortunately, the distraction this creates is a bit like a teenager or busy parent talking on their cell phone. According to researchers at the University of Alabama, Birmingham, crashes increase dramatically among drivers age 70 who habitually take their pet with them in the car. Their…

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Unsafe cell use more likely among American drivers

By Consumer Insurance Guide Staff
Unsafe cell use more likely among American drivers

Despite knowing the risks of distracted driving, American are far more likely to use their cell phones than their European counterparts. Most U.S. drivers report talking on their cell phone and about one in three read or sent text or email messages when driving, according to a new study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The study, published in CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, examined two specific types of self-reported distracted driving…

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Surfing the internet makes distracted driving worse

By Consumer Insurance Guide Staff
Surfing the internet makes distracted driving worse

As if driving while texting or yapping on the phone weren’t bad enough, the advent of smartphones has added a new problem to distracted driving from those surfing the internet while behind the wheel. According to State Farm, people are webbing while driving with increasing frequency. Along with texting, such behavior may pose equal or greater concerns in the effort to reduce distracted driving. Four years of data show a significant increase in the use of…

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