Motor Vehicle Safety
Distracted Driving
Distracted driving occurs when a vehicle driver takes their eyes off the road, hands off the wheel, or mind off the task of driving safely. Any non-driving activity the driver engages in is a potential distraction and increases their risk of being involved in a motor vehicle collision. Employees in many industries and occupations spend all or part of their workday on the road.
Distractions fall into three primary categories: visual, manual, and cognitive.
Visual distractions occur when the driver diverts their vision away from their direction of travel. Visual distractions may include looking at a cell phone, looking at objects or individuals on or near the road, or looking at a Global Positioning System (GPS) navigator for directions.
Manual distractions occur when the driver takes one or both hands off the wheel. Common examples of manual distractions include reaching for items in the vehicle, sending a text message, operating the vehicle entertainment system, applying cosmetics, and eating or drinking. Cognitive distractions occur when the driver takes their mind off the task of driving. Cognitive distractions include when a driver is thinking about which route to take, having a discussion with a passenger, or talking on the phone.
There is a belief that people are capable of "multi-tasking" well. This is a myth. The human brain has a limited capacity for attention and therefore "multi-tasking" gives neither task the full attention necessary. Any non-driving task performed while behind the wheel reduces the amount of attention available to the driver for detecting and reacting to potential dangers on the road. The less attention that is given to driving, the greater the chance the driver will be involved in a collision. A worker who is driving a motor vehicle while negotiating a complex or contentious business deal over the phone at the same time is giving neither task the attention it deserves.
Texting while driving is especially dangerous because it combines all three types of distractions – the driver’s eyes are off the road when looking at the cell phone, their hand is off the wheel to type the text, and their mind is on the content of the text and not on driving.
Additional Information
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)