Any type of focus (e.g., media messages, research agendas, legislative efforts, law enforcement, interpersonal communication, individual behavior/attitude) which promotes enhancing or maintaining safety in the realm of motor vehicle travel.
Published in Chapter:
Cellular Phones Contribute to Dangerous Driving
Chris S. Dula (East Tennessee State University, USA) and Benjamin A. Martin (East Tennessee State University, USA)
Copyright: © 2015
|Pages: 11
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-4666-8239-9.ch105
Abstract
In the U.S. alone, motor vehicle crashes (MVCs) are the leading cause of death for people aged 11 to 27, resulting in 32,367 deaths and 2,217,000 injuries in 2011 (NHTSA, 2013a). In 2012, distraction-related MVCs are believed to have killed over 3,000 and injured over 420,000 (NHTSA, 2013b). A highly prevalent distraction is cellular (cell) phone use by drivers. A variety of factors, including demographics, overconfidence in driving ability, psychological conditioning, and social norms contribute to the persistent pervasiveness of cell phone use while driving. Talking on cell phones is not the only problem as texting has become a common means of communication. Texting may be even more dangerous than talking as it often requires drivers to divert their eyes from traffic. This article reviews research on cell phone use by drivers and resultant safety hazards, while exploring possible solutions and future directions for research such as the use of Behavior-Based Safety approaches and changes in policies and laws.