NHTSA Releases Top 10 Causes of a Car Accident
Posted on Fri, May 21, 2010 @ 08:49 AM
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recently released the results of a study which indicated nearly 80% of crashes are caused by driver inattention or distraction within three seconds of the crash- 80%!
We are a nation of doers. We get it done. We work longer hours than most other industrial nations and we pride ourselves on being able to multi-task. All admirable qualities… except when we’re behind the wheel.
The most common distraction cited was reaching for something. A recent AA Foundation for Traffic Safety study showed that 100% of participants were distracted at some point, 97% reaching for something. A study by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) found that reaching for a moving object (dropped phone, spilled drink, etc.) was twice as dangerous as any other non-driving task. The other items (in order):
- reading and writing (behind the wheel?)
- grooming and applying makeup
- dialing a phone
- eating and drinking
- texting
- talking and listening on a phone
- adjusting the radio or changing a CD
- interacting with passengers
- daydreaming
The average driver is faced with approximately 200 driving decisions per mile. We can ill-afford to be distracted faced with such responsibility.
Imagine how hollow the following statements would sound… to a police officer investigating a crash… or on the stand in front of a jury.
"I was putting on my makeup when traffic stopped suddenly and I struck the victim."
"I was talking to my girlfriend and didn’t realize how fast I was going until I ran into the victim."
"I was in a hurry to get to [fill in the blank] when I lost control and crashed, killing my [child/spouse/friend]."
We are in too much of a hurry today. We are trying to do too much. We are trying to be all and have all.
We need to resolve to slow down. Leave home earlier so we don’t need to speed to get where we’re going. We need to hang up or turn off our phones while driving. We need to focus on driving safely. It will be too late after the crash and all the excuses will ring hollow.
Posted by Kevin Mullen- Director: Safety