Pretty much everyone uses their phone while driving

Shawn Knight

Posts: 15,240   +192
Staff member

Distracted driving has been a concern for law enforcement and a danger to motorists since the dawn of mobile devices. Unfortunately, despite a steady stream of public service announcements and countless other efforts to curb the behavior (it’s National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, after all), the situation only appears to be worsening.

Data from Zendrive Research’s latest Distracted Driving Behavior Report indicates that Americans are using their smartphones nearly every single time they get behind the wheel. Of the 570 million trips the firm analyzed over a three-month period, drivers used their phones while driving 88 percent of the time.

During an hour-long trip, drivers spent an average of 3.5 minutes using their phones. That may not sound like much but when you consider that a distraction of just a couple of seconds is all that’s needed to increase the likelihood of crashing by more than 20-fold, the issue becomes a lot more apparent.

According to Zendrive, 3.5 minutes of distracted driving is the equivalent of 105 opportunities an hour to cause a fatal accident.

The South is by far the worst offender as Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama and Arkansas are among the top five most distracted states (the other is Vermont) based on duration.

Zendrive analyzed data from 3.1 million drivers between December 2016 and February 2017 covering 5.6 billion miles nationwide.

Image courtesy Distracted Driver Accidents

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Often using your device while driving is simply unavoidable, like using Google maps for instance and even making and receiving calls. Not watching a streaming video on Porn Hub, playing a game of GTA V or tearfully texting your long lost ex in Siberia on WhatsApp, just as long as you do so safely hands free and in accordance with the law.
 
"Pretty much everyone uses their phone while driving" Seriously? Believe it or not, there are a LOT of adults that have learned better. Now, if you want a guaranteed accident, give a teenager a new cell phone and the keys to the car ........ that would be a recipe for disaster!
 
Never have, except to take phone calls, which doesn't count since it syncs with the car's bluetooth.
 
A lot of my friends get upset that I don't answer calls in the car even though I have a bluetooth system. I just don't need an additional distraction... My music is loud enough already.
 
Never have, except to take phone calls, which doesn't count since it syncs with the car's bluetooth.

There is study after study to show that bluetooth does not improve attention. It's just as bad as using your cellphone (at least regarding calls). A major reason bluetooth was exempt from state bans is because of heavy lobbying by the telecommunications companies.
 
There is study after study to show that bluetooth does not improve attention. It's just as bad as using your cellphone (at least regarding calls). A major reason bluetooth was exempt from state bans is because of heavy lobbying by the telecommunications companies.

It's rather oblivious that divided attention does not increase focus. Don't know why they needed studies for that.

In any event, I find the infotainment systems are more distracting than the phone. Takes me one button and a voice command to make a phone call manually via my iPhone. Having to navigate menus on the car's touch screen, on the other hand, is like juggling. More of a liability than a convenience, IMO.
 
ONLY at stoplights (never the 1st car though).
Otherwise, I pull into a parking lot. For talking on the phone, I use hands free.
Another reason to have a 6" screen...makes it impossible to use the phone one handed.
 
Anything can be a distraction, monitoring your speedo, satnav, passengers , dropping something, adjusting radio, heater, smoking, good looking pedestrians, adverts ban it all or maybe try make it safer as people will always do it anyways, Instead of making a revenue out of it.
 
"Pretty", "Much", "Everyone",
TECHSPOT certainly need literate people to write their articles.

The writer indicates that Zendrive Reserach assumes that everyone in the USA operates a 'phone while driving a vehicle, which is incorrect information.
Stating that 570 million trips over a three month period with drivers using a mobile 'phone 88 percent of the time proves that stating 'pretty much everyone' and a set of statistics over a very short period of time is merely guesswork because none of the drivers are 'average'.
If law enforcement is unable to stop people driving while using a 'phone, a fine of $5000.00 and impounding their vehicles for three months would certainly curtail the stupid, dangerous, brainless action to a large extent.
 
"Pretty", "Much", "Everyone",
TECHSPOT certainly need literate people to write their articles.

The writer indicates that Zendrive Reserach assumes that everyone in the USA operates a 'phone while driving a vehicle, which is incorrect information.
Stating that 570 million trips over a three month period with drivers using a mobile 'phone 88 percent of the time proves that stating 'pretty much everyone' and a set of statistics over a very short period of time is merely guesswork because none of the drivers are 'average'.
If law enforcement is unable to stop people driving while using a 'phone, a fine of $5000.00 and impounding their vehicles for three months would certainly curtail the stupid, dangerous, brainless action to a large extent.
Gosh, didn't know you are perfect.
 
Not surprising, I see the phone zombies every day on transit, walking etc. If they can't even get their eyes off the screen to cross the street or railway crossings (light rail transit, kills scores of them every year), I don't think they will stop when they drive.
we managed (here at least) to make impaired driving socially unacceptable, that is about the only hope for this
I also agree the 'infotainment' systems in cars aren't designed well for use without hazard
 
I have never used a phone while driving in my life, but then I rarely even carry one with me. I just don't see what is so addictive about them that people walk around staring at them.
 
Often using your device while driving is simply unavoidable, like using Google maps for instance and even making and receiving calls. Not watching a streaming video on Porn Hub, playing a game of GTA V or tearfully texting your long lost ex in Siberia on WhatsApp, just as long as you do so safely hands free and in accordance with the law.

You haven't mentioned a single case where using the phone wasn't unavoidable.
 
I am amazed that supposedly sensible adults feel the need to use a mobile phone while driving.
A vehicle is a 'weapon' the larger the vehicle the more dangerous a weapon and the more ''innocent'' people it can kill.

So lets introduce lengthy prison sentences for any of this type of crime and then make sure they have a minimum of a 5 year driving ban when they are released and then have to take a completely new driving test after their ban.

For the ignorant drivers that still insist in using a mobile phone while driving and are 'caught in the act', they should receive a £500 fine and an instant 60 day licence suspension for their first offence.

If they continue with their complete disregard for the law and are caught committing a second offence, then this results in a £1000 fine and a one year driving ban then have to take a completely new driving test after their ban.

If they are really stupid enough to commit a third offence then its '3 strikes and you are out, £1000 fine, a five year driving ban, a one year prison sentence then have to take a completely new driving test at the end of their ban.

It would only take a relatively small number of reported cases in the national newspapers. on the tv news and online, to make these *****s aware of the consequences and the number of the *****s using their mobiles would fall considerably.

Its about time the courts implemented harsher punishments to these lawbreakers before they kill innocent people.
 
Anything can be a distraction, monitoring your speedo, satnav, passengers , dropping something, adjusting radio, heater, smoking, good looking pedestrians, adverts ban it all or maybe try make it safer as people will always do it anyways, Instead of making a revenue out of it.

Okay, I get your point on the radio and most of the other things. You are absolutely right. The cell phone thing is not about revenue, and you, as an obviously intelligent and observant individual, very well know it.
 
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Soon enough will be illegal to drive manually when they perfect autonomous driving. Although with flying cars making debut should we be worried of someone using phone while flying overhead?
 
That's not true of the older generation. I have a phone with me in the car but it only makes and receives phone calls. It's switched off when driving and is to call for assistance in case of breakdown. Navigation has always been a pain to me so I use a TomTom but it is on the passenger seat and I listen to the instructions. It's not perfect but far safer than getting totally confused when trying to find somewhere. Yes, it's amazing how many motorists are using phones while driving. Hopefully there will be legislation so cars will be factory fitted with electronics preventing phone calls when the engine is running. Clearly law enforcement isn't working here.
 
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