Teen Driving Safety

Distracted Driving Among Newly Licensed Teen Drivers Frequency of Electronic Device Use and Other Distracted Driver Behaviors 6.6% TWICE 17% as many were operating an electronic device than of teen drivers were seen did not use electronic were observed holding a cell phone to their ear using electronic devices devices teen drivers 12% were observed using electronic devices in engaged in at least 1 of the distracted driver behaviors in 15.1% of all driving clips over 1 5% of the clips females were twice as likely as males to use electronic devices females were more likely than males to be observed adjusting controls or reaching for objects in the vehicle males were twice as likely as females to turn around while driving Frequency of Distracting Conditions Involving Passengers O Loud conversations were evident 12.2% of the time when passengers O Loud conversation and horseplay were less likely with 1 sibling peer or when a parent/adult was present. were present. O Electronic device use and other distracted behaviors were most common when teens were O Teen drivers used an electronic device 8.1% and engaged in distracting behaviors 16.9% of the time when driving alone. carrying no passengers. O Horseplay occrued in 6.3% of the time. O Compared to when 1 teen peer was in the vehicle, loud convos and horseplay were more than twice as likely when multiple teen peers were in the vehicle. Distractions and Characteristics of the Driving Setting While driving at night during weekends with one or more teen peers, loud Studies suggest drivers are more likely to engage in potentially distracting behavior when the environment seems "safer" and conversation occured 20.2% and horseplay 11.2% of the time. less likely in challenging environments. Driver behaviors (adjusting, hygiene, etc.) showed small gradual decline aver the course of day Loud Conversations & Horseplay increased especially at nite Day Midday Night Distractions and Looking Away from the Roadway (during the 10 secs preceding vehicle movement) 45% 35% 51% of drivers looked away drivers who looked away did it for a sec or less longest glance was 1 sec or less 12% 39% 31% longest glance was 1.25 -2 secs of drivers looked away for at least 4 looked secs during the 10 sec away for 1.25 - 2 secs 10% longest glance was more than 2 secs period prior to event Drivers were 3x as likely to look away from the roadway when using an electronic device. Drivers were 2 1/2x more likely to look away when engaging in distracting behavior, and more likely to look away when there was loud conversation or horseplay in the vehicle. Distractions and Potentially Serious Events (near collisions or high g-force such as hard braking or turning) 0.7% were involved in a serious accident. 27 of 52 teen drivers had no serious incidents during the 6 month period of recorded events. 7 teens accounted for 58% of the serious accidents, with 3 teens having 5 incidents each. Drivers were 6x's more likely to have a serious incident when loud conversations took place in the vehicle. Horseplay was consistently associated with high g-force events. High g-force decelerations and left turns were common when loud conversations took place. Source: http://www.aaafoundation.org/pdf/Distracted DrivingAmongNewlyLicensed TeenDrivers.pdf Distracted Driving Among Newly Licensed Teen Drivers Frequency of Electronic Device Use and Other Distracted Driver Behaviors 6.6% TWICE 17% as many were operating an electronic device than of teen drivers were seen did not use electronic were observed holding a cell phone to their ear using electronic devices devices teen drivers 12% were observed using electronic devices in engaged in at least 1 of the distracted driver behaviors in 15.1% of all driving clips over 1 5% of the clips females were twice as likely as males to use electronic devices females were more likely than males to be observed adjusting controls or reaching for objects in the vehicle males were twice as likely as females to turn around while driving Frequency of Distracting Conditions Involving Passengers O Loud conversations were evident 12.2% of the time when passengers O Loud conversation and horseplay were less likely with 1 sibling peer or when a parent/adult was present. were present. O Electronic device use and other distracted behaviors were most common when teens were O Teen drivers used an electronic device 8.1% and engaged in distracting behaviors 16.9% of the time when driving alone. carrying no passengers. O Horseplay occrued in 6.3% of the time. O Compared to when 1 teen peer was in the vehicle, loud convos and horseplay were more than twice as likely when multiple teen peers were in the vehicle. Distractions and Characteristics of the Driving Setting While driving at night during weekends with one or more teen peers, loud Studies suggest drivers are more likely to engage in potentially distracting behavior when the environment seems "safer" and conversation occured 20.2% and horseplay 11.2% of the time. less likely in challenging environments. Driver behaviors (adjusting, hygiene, etc.) showed small gradual decline aver the course of day Loud Conversations & Horseplay increased especially at nite Day Midday Night Distractions and Looking Away from the Roadway (during the 10 secs preceding vehicle movement) 45% 35% 51% of drivers looked away drivers who looked away did it for a sec or less longest glance was 1 sec or less 12% 39% 31% longest glance was 1.25 -2 secs of drivers looked away for at least 4 looked secs during the 10 sec away for 1.25 - 2 secs 10% longest glance was more than 2 secs period prior to event Drivers were 3x as likely to look away from the roadway when using an electronic device. Drivers were 2 1/2x more likely to look away when engaging in distracting behavior, and more likely to look away when there was loud conversation or horseplay in the vehicle. Distractions and Potentially Serious Events (near collisions or high g-force such as hard braking or turning) 0.7% were involved in a serious accident. 27 of 52 teen drivers had no serious incidents during the 6 month period of recorded events. 7 teens accounted for 58% of the serious accidents, with 3 teens having 5 incidents each. Drivers were 6x's more likely to have a serious incident when loud conversations took place in the vehicle. Horseplay was consistently associated with high g-force events. High g-force decelerations and left turns were common when loud conversations took place. Source: http://www.aaafoundation.org/pdf/Distracted DrivingAmongNewlyLicensed TeenDrivers.pdf