New Study Reveals How Mobile Device Usage is Endangering Us On The Roads
A new study by Triumph Law emphasises the dangers of mobile device usage on road safety, underscoring the urgent need for change. The research reveals that over 3,300 people died in 2022 due to distracted-driver accidents, with mobile devices playing a significant role.
Texting While Driving: The Most Dangerous Distraction
This study by Triumph Law, which focuses on how technology affects road safety, identifies text messaging as the most dangerous driving distraction. Texting demands a highly distracted combination of manual, visual, and cognitive attention, sharply increasing the risk of an accident. Texting while driving means drivers take their hands off the wheel, their attention from the road, and their focus from driving.
It’s extremely dangerous to text while driving. Doing so may take a driver’s eyes off the road for an average of five seconds. Yet, at 55 mph, this is equivalent to driving the length of a football field while blindfolded – and represents an enormous accident risk.
Teen Drivers: The Most Vulnerable Group
According to the study, car crashes are still the number one killer of teen drivers (15-19) – with distracted driving the leading factor, the main cause in 20% of teen driver deaths.
Young drivers – particularly those aged 16-24 – are the group most likely to use their phones while driving and do so at a rate of 7.7%. The inexperience of this group and their comparative tendency to use their mobile devices make them highly susceptible to road accidents.
Parental Influence on Driving Habits
Parental behavior is a crucial influencer regarding these statistics. Teens and younger drivers are more likely to use their phones while driving if they’ve seen their parents do so. This confirms the importance of role models and of encouraging good driving habits for young drivers.
Gender and Age: Demographics of Distracted Driving
Gender also represents a key distracted driving differential. Triumph’s study found that women are more likely than men to use a mobile device while at the wheel – 2.3% of women were found to have used their phones while driving, compared to 2% of men. Although ostensibly a small difference, this still represents thousands of potentially fatal road incidents.
Conversely, older adults (70+) are the group least likely to use a mobile device while driving. This group drives significantly safer than younger drivers, which reveals a distinct generational difference.
Legal Inconsistencies and the Need for Awareness
U.S. law around distracted driving is inconsistent, with each state observing its own mandate. The campaign accompanying this study provides practical solutions to reduce driver device distractions while at the wheel.
Simple Solutions to Prevent Distractions
Examples of solutions include enabling the “Do Not Disturb” option on phones, planning routes to avoid last-minute GPS alterations, and cutting out distractions like eating, texting, and meddling with in-car settings while at the wheel. As technology evolves and improves, the risk of distraction will rise. This means that all drivers need to be aware of the implicit dangers of distracted driving to ensure safer roads for everyone.
A Call to Action for Safer Roads
As a Triumph Law spokesperson suggests, “The data is unequivocal—mobile devices have turned our roads into even more dangerous places. Every text, every glance away from the road, every distracted moment: some choices risk innocent lives. We must prioritize safety over inappropriate use of devices when we’re at the wheel.”
All of the 3,300 lives lost in 2022, primarily due to texting, were avoidable tragedies. Choosing to simply drive and wait until we’re out of the car before we look at our devices can prevent thousands of fatalities. Triumph Law hopes that by raising awareness of this issue and promoting conscientious driving behavior, we can make a crucial and positive difference to our roads.
