Most U.S. Drivers Engage in ‘Distracting’ Behaviors, Survey Says February 6, 2012

More than 50 percent of  adult drivers in the United States admit to talking on  a non hands-free cellphone while behind the wheel, a new poll shows.

But that’s not the only thing distracting drivers these days. A new Harris Interactive/HealthDay poll shows that 86 percent of drivers are eating and drinking; 41 percent are setting their GPS device; 37 percent are texting and 14 percent are applying makeup.

Drivers also admitted to driving while less than fully alert. Nearly a fourth of respondents said they have driven after having two or more drinks, and 44 percent said they’ve felt sleepy while driving, sometimes “momentarily dozing off.” And 7 and 12 percent said they drive this way “sometimes” or “often,” respectively.

“The number of drivers who engage in potentially dangerous, in some cases extremely dangerous, behaviors while driving is terrifyingly high, particularly when you remember that every 1 percent of drivers polled represents more than one-and-three-quarters of a million people,” said Humphrey Taylor, chairman of The Harris Poll, in a news release.

Prior research has shown the dangers of distracted driving, with a study from 2010 finding that texting alone was implicated in more than 16,000 deaths between 2001 and 2007. That study also found that vehicle deaths that involved texting while driving and cell phones increased 28 percent from 2005 to 2008.

More than 2,800 U.S. adults were surveyed for this latest poll Nov. 10 to 14. The results of the poll showed that some drivers were more apt to indulge in risky distractions than others, such as drivers over the age of 65 who were less likely than younger drivers to engage in distracting behaviors.

And men were more likely to look at maps, drive while drowsy, drive after drinking alcohol, consult a GPS navigation system,  surf the ‘Net or watch videos, than woman

And while many drivers agree that distracted driving is dangerous, many still do it, the survey shows. Almost  77 percent of drivers polled said texting increases the odds of a car accident “a lot” and 44 percent said the same about talking on a (non-hands-free) cell phone. Two-thirds of those surveyed said it was dangerous to apply makeup while driving.

“Troublesome” is how one highway safety expert described the findings of this poll.

“Despite all of the attention paid to cell phone distractions in the past few years, this survey highlights the broader problem that drivers do a lot of things behind the wheel that distract them,” said Russ Rader, of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. “People have driven distracted long before there were cellphones.”

Despite some 39 states plus the District of Columbia enacting laws regulating the use of mobile devices in vehicles, a recent study found cell phone use and other distractions while driving have actually increased.

But technology is not just creating new driving hazards, experts say. It’s also offering a means of minimizing the risk. Radar pointed to “crash-avoidance technologies” that some automakers are installing on vehicles. These on-board devices can sense a hazard ahead, such as the driver who suddenly slams on the brakes in front of you.

New distracted driving laws are not the only answer, Rader said. “This survey points to the potential for technology to help bring drivers’ attention back to the road at critical moments, no matter what is distracting them, whether they’re reaching for a cup of coffee, trying to send a text message or just daydreaming.”

For more on safe driving issues, see the library of articles by Daytona Beach car accident attorney.