Citation

Regan M. Vis. Zero Int. 2010; 2010(Jan): 4-12.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010, UKIP Media)

DOI

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PMID

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Abstract

Distracted driving is increasingly being recognized as a significant contributing factor in traffic accidents. However, the problem is not yet completely understood. This article provides an overview of the issue of driver distraction and discusses some potential solutions. Distraction is defined as the explicit diversion of attention away from critical driving activities. It is problematic because drivers’ ability to divide attention between competing tasks is biologically limited. Distractions can be visual, auditory, tactile, olfactory or gustatory, and it is estimated that over half of distraction sources are avoidable. Distraction has been shown to cause deficits in driving activities such as lane keeping, speed control, reaction time, traffic signal recognition, following distance, situational awareness and visual scanning. Distraction does not always negatively impact driving performance. The impact can depend on many interrelated factors, including driver characteristics, driving task demand and competing task demand. Although distraction probably can never be completely eradicated as a road safety problem, it can be mitigated. Countermeasures can include legislation, law enforcement and education. Road design and driver warning systems also can be deployed to help drivers recognize and recover from distracted driving incidents.


Keywords: Driver distraction;