Ties That Bind Closely Tied to Driver Distraction

CARS.COM — According to calculations by the National Safety Council, family and friends distract us more than any other factors in the car, and that’s a potentially deadly equation.

Related: Which States Had the Biggest, Smallest Increases in 2015 Traffic Deaths?

A survey by the Itasca, Ill.-based safety advocacy group showed that 82 percent of Americans feel the greatest pressure from their families to engage in distracted driving. For teen drivers, it was friends who created the greatest distraction with 73 percent saying so, while family ran a close second with 71 percent.

Our loved ones may be the source of the distraction, but our mobile devices and other communications technologies are the treacherous tools.

“Thousands have died in distracted driving crashes,” the NSC said in a statement. “The dangers of using cell phones — even hands-free — while driving have been understood for years, yet there are more ways than ever to stay connected behind the wheel. In-vehicle systems allow drivers to call, text, email, update social media and browse the internet, despite research showing these systems cause distraction that can linger long after the driver finishes the task.”

The survey also showed that:

• 54 percent of drivers feel pressure from work concerns to drive while distracted.
• Nearly three-quarters use Facebook while driving.
• Two-thirds of motorists talk on the phone while driving through a parking lot.

Despite the growing problem of distracted driving, ignorance of the issue is not to blame. In the NSC study, two-thirds of respondents said another driver’s distraction had made them feel unsafe, although only a quarter acknowledged the peril of their own distractions. Moreover, more than half said they would use an in-car technology solution that would prevent distraction, and 1 in 4 would feel “much better” if there were no way to use technology while behind the wheel.

The NSC’s study, released in conjunction with the start of Distracted Driving Awareness Month, comes as annual traffic fatalities are spiking. Earlier this year, the NSC reported that driving deaths had increased 8 percent in 2015 compared with 2014. According to that study, it was the largest year-over-year increase in traffic fatalities in 50 years.