It's a common occurrence: you're behind the wheel, and suddenly your phone vibrates with a text from someone who is a priority in your life. Maybe it's from your boss, spouse, or child; you may be tempted to answer it, but should you? We all know it's risky, and we've all felt this way, but why?

The Survey: Understanding Distracted Driving

In a recent survey conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, more than 2,000 U.S. drivers nationwide were questioned about their driving attentiveness, with roughly half admitting to engaging in cellphone-related distracted driving habits.

The survey aimed to address not just the distracted driving behavior itself but the underlying rationality and decision factors behind such habits. These factors largely compare the threat severity of distracted driving, as opposed to the perceived benefit of communications and productivity.

Findings of the Survey

Survey findings concluded that while the majority of U.S. drivers understand how potentially dangerous their actions can be, they knowingly engaged in distracted driving behaviors. Notably, most participants expressed concern for others on the road too. In fact, 81% listed "fewer injuries and fatalities" as a benefit to giving the road their full attention. That said, the same group struggled with putting the phone down and committing to do so habitually, with 46% believing that "family-related calls or texts" sometimes needed to be answered while driving.

Distracted Driving in Recent Years

In recent years, distracted driving has become such a prominent issue that articles about it can even be found in major publications such as the LA Times, which published an article asserting that drastic measures should be considered to combat distracted driving. Perhaps even so far as suggesting that phones should automatically shut off the moment the device senses that it's being used for any non-navigational purpose while in a moving car.

Technology's Role in Distracted Driving

As most solutions to the distracted driving problem are unpopular with many lawmakers, the technology sector has begun to take an interest in combatting this issue. Manufacturers such as Apple propose a dash interface; designed to prevent drivers from using handheld devices while operating a vehicle. But, many dissenting sources cite that previous versions of AndroidAuto have been shown to delay the reaction time of most motorists by around 53% when compared to those who have given their undivided attention to the task of driving. This means that the technology sector is still quite far from solving the distracted driving problem altogether.

The Legal Consequences of Distracted Driving

Distracted driving not only poses a potentially serious risk to the safety of drivers, but it also carries with it the potential to burden a driver with substantial fines and legal consequences. For example, in Oregon, a first-time distracted driving offense that contributes to a crash is a Class A violation with a fine of up to $2,000. With subsequent offenses resulting in fines of up to $2,500 and even 6 Months of jail time. You can read more about Oregon's laws here.

Preventing Distracted Driving

Luckily, some states allow for a "Distracted Driving Avoidance Course" or "Basic Driver Improvement Course" designed to prevent points from such tickets from impacting your driving record. For more details about those courses, contact a licensed traffic school. We hope this article has given you something to think about and made you consider the risk verse reward of using the phone while driving. Again, if you have any questions about how to enroll in a driving program, insurance discounts, traffic citations, or even just general road knowledge, feel free to contact us here at Traffic School Online. Until next time, drive safe out there!