Teen Driving & Distracted Driving Strategies To Save Lives NCSL December 9, 2010
National Safety Council 18,000 Organizational Members at 54,000 locations 38 state and local chapters 20,000 training agencies Mission: Save lives by preventing injuries and deaths at work, in homes and communities, and on the roads through leadership, research, education and advocacy.
Teen Driving
NSC and Teen Driving NSC sponsored International Symposia on Graduated Driver Licensing in 2002 and 2007. NSC and its chapters have been engaged in legislative activity in several states. NSC member companies are educating their employees/parents of teen drivers about GDL. NSC currently building state coalitions in 14 states.
Teen Driving-Related Deaths Includes teen drivers, their passengers and third parties 9000 Annual teen driving-related deaths declined 36% from 2003-2009. 8000 7000 6000 5000 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Graduated Driver Licensing: Maximizes experience and minimizes risks 1 st Stage Learners Permit (12 months) Minimum hours of supervised practice driving. 2 nd Stage Intermediate (6 months) Night driving and passenger restrictions. Belt use, zero tolerance for alcohol use, total ban on all cell phone use 3 rd Stage Full License through age 18 Belt use, zero tolerance for alcohol use, total ban on all cell phone use
7 Elements of Comprehensive GDL Learners permit period of at least nine months. Minimum of required practice driving hours. Restriction on night driving after 10 pm during first year of licensure. Restriction on passengers for first year of licensure. Prohibition on all cell phone use while driving. Primary enforcement of seat belt laws. Zero tolerance for alcohol use.
GDL: A Proven Vaccine Impact of GDL Laws on Teen Crashes Moving from 0 to 1 GDL element: 4% crash reduction 1 to 2: 6.25% reduction 2 to 3: 0% reduction 3 to 4 GDL: 12% reduction 4 to 5 or more: 21% crash reduction Net Effect: States with Comprehensive GDL have up to 43% fewer teen crashes than states with no GDL.
What Parents Think About GDL North Carolina Survey 96% overall opinion of GDL is approve or highly approve 87% agree with 9 pm night time restriction. 86% agree with 12 month learners permit period.
What Parents Think About GDL Iowa Survey of 1,065 parents of 16 & 17-year old drivers 97% support bans on texting while driving. 90% support bans on all cell phone use while driving. 82% support moving the night time restriction from 12 am to 10 pm. 79% support restricting teen drivers to no more than 1 passenger (with exceptions for relatives). 57% support extending the supervised practice period from 6 to 12 months.
Urban vs. Rural North Carolina, Iowa, Kansas No significant difference in parental support for GDL between urban and rural parents. Majority of rural parents and urban parents in every state support every element of GDL in their states.
Teens Also Support GDL North Carolina teen survey 81% agree or strongly agree with 9 pm. night driving restriction. 59% have overall positive opinion of GDL.
States Adoption of Comprehensive GDL 8 states have 5 or more elements. These states have generally seen reductions in teen crashes of 20-45%. 34 states have 3 or fewer elements.
National Safety Council Taking Action Active in 12+ states to educate and engage parents, teens and advocates, earn media interest, build support for GDL. Allstate-funded coalitions: California, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas. CDC-funded coalitions in Florida and Ohio, plus support other CDC coalitions in Iowa, New Hampshire, North Dakota, South Dakota. NSC legislative advocacy in Iowa, Florida, Pennsylvania, +1.
National Safety Council Taking Action Advocating for Federal GDL bill to provide incentives to states. Raising $10 million for teen driving strategies to include national parent education initiative to reach far more parents than are currently being reached.
Distracted Driving
NSC and Distracted Driving Beginning in 2001, NSC members and volunteers became concerned with research showing risks of cell phone use while driving. Consistency of research from multiple research methods and convergence of data led NSC members in the transportation industry to propose an official policy. Representatives of all industry groups involved. In January 2009, NSC became first national organization to call for total bans on all cell phone use while driving. Today, 500+ NSC members have their own total bans covering nearly 2 million employees.
Types of Driver Distractions Visual Eyes off road Most are for short durations of 1-2 seconds (billboards, dashboard glances, GPS maps, scenery). Generally low crash risk of 0-1.5x. Mechanical Hand off wheel Most do not significantly affect driving (eating, drinking, tuning radio). Low crash risk of 0-1.6x. Combinations of Visual & Mechanical Moderately increased risk (handling or retrieving object, such as CD, mobile device, personal grooming). Crash risk of up to 3.8x.
Types of Driver Distractions Cognitive Distraction Mind off driving Higher risk than hands off wheel or eyes off road due to brain overload and selective attention. Principal deficiencies in driving are slower response times, following distance, and missed traffic signals. Higher crash risk: Cell phone use while driving -- 4x crash risk. Combinations of Visual, Mechanical & Cognitive Generally highest crash risks of 8x up to 23x, associated with activities like reading and texting.
Measuring Cognitive Distraction Simulator studies have identified specific impairment related to inattention blindness and tunnel vision. A study in a community-like driving range showed drivers on cell phones had higher rates of missed traffic signals and poor recognition of their behavior. A naturalistic study of 56,000 drivers at intersections showed that drivers on cell phones (hand-held and hands-free) missed 2x more traffic signals than people not on phones.
Translating Risk Into Crashes While some activities are higher risk than others, they do not necessarily cause more crashes, injuries or deaths. How many crashes occur due to a specific behavior is a function of the level of risk and the prevalence of the activity. Risk: How risky is it? Prevalence: How many people are doing it for what period of time?
Texting: Risk + Prevalence Risk: Increased risk of injury from texting while driving: 8x up to 23x. Prevalence: 0.6% of drivers at any one time are manipulating hand-held devices. The number texting is lower than that. Result: Minimum of 100,000 crashes, or 2% of all crashes, involve texting.
Cell Phone Use: Risk + Prevalence Risk: Increased risk of injury from using a cell phone while driving: 4x Prevalence: 10% of drivers at any one time, or more than 700,000 drivers, observed using handheld devices. The number engaged in conversations is likely higher as hands-free is not measured in observation surveys. Result: 1.2 million crashes/year or 21% of all crashes, involve cell phone use.
63% of Voters Support Laws Banning All Cell Phone Use While Driving
National Safety Council Taking Action Advocating for state laws. Advocating for inclusion of distracted driving research and incentives to states in Transportation Reauthorization. Working with employers to enact policies and measure their impact. Evaluating technology solutions that manage all incoming/outgoing calls and messages without driver involvement.
Conclusions 1. Strong laws, vigorously enforced, are essential to reduce crashes, prevent injuries and save lives on our roads. For a majority of Americans Education, by itself, does not change behavior. 2. A significant majority of American voters support most traffic safety laws (drunk driving, primary seat belt laws, motorcycle helmets). A majority also supports GDL and total cell phone bans. 3. Despite public support, 42 states do not have comprehensive GDL and no state has a total ban on cell phone use while driving.
How Can We Be Helpful? How can advocacy groups help legislators enact necessary safety legislation that saves lives? How can state coalitions of businesses, health and safety groups, victims advocates and others be helpful?