Latest news with #distractedDriving
Auto Blog
07-07-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Blog
Multiple States Dial-up Crackdown on Cell Phone Use While Driving
The nationwide shift toward hands-free cell phone usage for drivers Most states have strict laws in place to prevent distracted driving through cell phone use, and Iowa and Louisiana are the latest to join this effort. Since July 1, Iowa drivers have been prohibited from using a phone while driving, except for hands-free operation. Louisiana's new distracted driving law imposes the same rules, but takes effect on August 1. Sgt. Alex Dinkla, public information officer for the Iowa State Patrol, explained that drivers don't need to buy a new smartphone to comply with the state's new law via platforms like Apple CarPlay. Instead, he recommended Bluetooth, auxiliary cables, and phone mounts as ways that more drivers can comply with the latest enforcement, IPR reports. Iowa police will issue warnings for the first months of enforcement so motorists can adjust their habits. However, starting January 1, the state's police can give $100 citations. Iowa's new law outlines exceptions for emergencies and certain employees, including those in public safety and public transit. According to the Iowa Department of Transportation, over 900 crashes occurred last year due to drivers being distracted by their phones or other electronic devices. Iowa state line sign — Source: Getty Louisiana's new law also provides exceptions for emergencies and certain employees in addition to calls for reporting traffic collisions. Officials in Louisiana passed the law as part of the state's effort to lower high auto insurance costs, as fewer distracted drivers naturally pose less risk for insurers. Louisiana lawmakers made efforts before this year's legislative session to ban cell phone use while driving except for hands-free operation, but progress stalled over concerns that police would use the rule as an excuse to perform traffic stops and vehicle searches. The law eventually passed when Louisiana legislators added a provision preventing police from conducting searches or making arrests based solely on a cell phone use violation, according to the Louisiana Illuminator. Drivers who violate Louisiana's new distracted driving law face a fine of up to $100, but this amount increases to a $250 maximum citation if the offense occurs in a school or construction zone. Pennsylvania preceded Iowa and Louisiana's laws On June 5, Pennsylvania also started enforcing a ban on handheld use of a cell phone, tablet, or any other electronic device while driving, including at a red light. Iowa's law allows for handheld cell phone usage if a car is stationary, but the vehicle must be off a traveled portion of the road. Conversely, Louisiana's new legislation appears to permit handheld cell phone use if a car is stationary at a stoplight. Pennsylvania's Department of Transportation reported 9,950 crashes caused by distracted driving last year, which resulted in more than 6,000 injuries and 49 fatalities, according to Pennsylvania Capital-Star. The warning period for Pennsylvania's enforcement extends further than Iowa or Louisiana, with fines of up to $50 starting in June 2026. Louisiana State Trooper car — Source: Getty Final thoughts Currently, 31 states, along with the District of Columbia, outlaw handheld cellphone use while driving. While Louisiana, Iowa, and Pennsylvania's new bans aim to increase road safety, Louisiana stands out with its desire to also use the legislation as a way to reduce car insurance costs. rates Louisiana as the most expensive U.S. state for auto insurance, with an annual cost of $2,883 for a full coverage policy. About the Author Cody Carlson View Profile
Forbes
03-07-2025
- Automotive
- Forbes
Teens Use Cell Phones While Driving 21% Of The Time
Teenage drivers have admitted to looking at their cell phones one-fifth of the time when they're behind the wheel, most commonly to be entertained, text or follow a map, a new study published in the Traffic Injury Prevention journal shows. A driver uses a phone while behind the wheel of a car. Getty Images A survey of more than 1,100 teens from across the country saw participants admit to spending an average of 21% of each trip using their phones while driving. Of those instances, more than a quarter lasted two seconds or longer, participants reported, which significantly increases the risk of a crash or near crash, according to a 2014 study. Teens said driving distracted allows them to be entertained or productive while on the road, and that they're more likely to use their phones behind the wheel when they haven't gotten enough sleep. Most participants said they understand that distracted driving is dangerous and that their parents would rather they not, but they said their friends are also using their phones behind the wheel. Get Forbes Breaking News Text Alerts: We're launching text message alerts so you'll always know the biggest stories shaping the day's headlines. Text 'Alerts' to (201) 335-0739 or sign up here : 235. That's how many people were killed in crashes involving distracted drivers between the ages of 15 and 19 in 2022, according to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia's Teen Driver Source. Distracted driving was blamed for the deaths of 3,275 people in 2023—about 9 deaths per day on average—according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. All but one state, Montana, has legally banned texting while behind the wheel for all drivers and, as of December, 35 states have illegalized all types of phone use among young drivers. Despite the restrictions, one 2023 poll found that while 97% of teen drivers agree texting and driving is dangerous, 43% admitted to doing it anyway. Further Reading Forbes Teens Teaming With Teens To Create A Better World By Kate Vitasek Forbes American Teens Experience Enormous Pressures Related To Mental Health, New Study Finds By Omer Awan
News.com.au
03-07-2025
- News.com.au
Badly injured NSW cop Jonathan Wright's drive for the job not lost
A NSW highway patrol cop who had his right leg crushed when a texting driver ploughed into him at a stationary RBT site now spends his days teaching kids about the catastrophic consequences of dangerous driving. Senior Constable Jonathan Wright said the long road to recovery since the crash in Campbelltown in Sydney's south west wasn't easy, and took its toll on his wife and family. But getting back to being a cop was always on the agenda. 'There was no choice for me to come back to the cops, it was very important, a no-brainer really,' Senior Constable Wright told 'I'm now working in the south west region for education, going to schools in the area and talking about road trauma and road safety, with a big focus on distraction. 'It's a very important message – if we get through to at least one kid it's a win. I talk to upwards of 5000 kids a year in our area, so surely we can reach more than one.' Senior Constable Wright was bleeding out on the road with a stranger's belt tied around his crushed right leg after he was hit at the breath testing station on Campbelltown Rd at Leumeah on February 16, 2018. Sergeant Ben Cook rushed to his aid and applied a tourniquet he had in his pocket. 'There was already a makeshift one, a belt on his leg but it continued bleeding. I just needed to get that bleeding stopped,' Sergeant Cook said. 'I just happened to have one in my pocket that night, and that was very lucky. Other police were comforting him while I concentrated on my job and that was to stop the bleeding.' Sergeant Cook said it was 'absolutely incredible' that Senior Constable Wright had made it back to work. 'His resilience is beyond belief. To still be a police officer I take my hat off to him.' Inspector Greg Donaldson said despite losing his leg, Senior Constable Wright returned to work within three months of the crash and was an absolutely vital member of the team working every day to teach young drivers the dangers of distracted driving. Jakob Thornton, 25, was jailed in 2019 for at least two years after he pleaded guilty to two counts of dangerous driving causing grievous bodily harm in relation to the crash. He had been staring at his phone for about 20 seconds, travelling at 60km per hour, before he rounded a bend and slammed into Snr Constable Wright and his colleague Senior Constable Matthew Foley. Last month the two officers were awarded a Commissioner's Commendation for their actions. Adam Coggan, a motorist who pulled up, told his children to wait in the car and rendered assistance to Senior Constable Wright and Kiera Cusbert, who ran from her car to help and keep the injured officer calm, were both also presented with awards. Senior Constable Wright said he would not have made it without their help. 'I hadn't met Adam and Keira before today. I wasn't aware of the roles they played,' Senior Constable Wright said. 'It has been great to talk to them and thank them for what they did that night. I am grateful they were there to help, and I am grateful to all the first responders. I am also glad their roles were also acknowledged at the awards ceremony.'
CNET
03-07-2025
- Health
- CNET
Scary Survey Results: Teen Drivers Are Often Looking at Their Phones
A new study reveals that teen drivers in the US are spending more than one-fifth of their driving time distracted by their phones, with many glances lasting long enough to significantly raise the risk of a crash. Published in the journal Traffic Injury Prevention and released on Thursday, the research found that, on average, teens reported looking at their phones during 21.1% of every driving trip. More than a quarter of those distractions lasted two seconds or longer, which is an amount of time widely recognized as dangerous at highway speeds. Most distractions tied to entertainment, not emergencies The top reason teens said they reached for their phones behind the wheel was for entertainment, cited by 65% of respondents. Texting (40%) and navigation (30%) were also common. Researchers emphasized that these distractions weren't typically urgent, but rather habitual or social. Teens know the risks The study includes survey responses from 1,126 teen drivers across all four US regions, along with in-depth interviews with a smaller group of high schoolers. Most participants recognized that distracted driving is unsafe and believed their parents and peers disapproved of the behavior. But many teens also assumed that their friends were doing it anyway, pointing to a disconnect between personal values and perceived social norms. Teens think they can resist distractions Interestingly, most teens expressed confidence in their ability to resist distractions. That belief, researchers suggest, could make it harder to change behavior unless future safety campaigns specifically target these attitudes. The study's lead author, Dr. Rebecca Robbins of Boston's Brigham and Women's Hospital, said interventions should aim to shift social norms while also emphasizing practical steps, such as enabling "Do Not Disturb" mode and physically separating drivers from their devices. "Distracted driving is a serious public health threat and particularly concerning among young drivers," Robbins said. "Driving distracted doesn't just put the driver at risk of injury or death, it puts everyone else on the road in danger of an accident." What this means for parents and educators The researchers say their findings can help guide educators and parents in developing more persuasive messaging about the dangers of distracted driving. One of the recommendations is that adults need to counter teens' beliefs that phone use while driving is productive or harmless. While the study's qualitative component was limited by a small and non-urban sample, the authors believe the 38-question survey they developed can be used more broadly to assess beliefs, behaviors and the effectiveness of future safety efforts.
Khaleej Times
01-07-2025
- Automotive
- Khaleej Times
UAE: Teach drivers why they have to be safe behind the wheel, road safety experts say
There are hundreds of cameras to catch road safety violators. However, these devices alone are not enough to curb distracted driving — understanding driver psychology is essential to building a strong road safety culture, according to experts. 'There are more than 800 enforcement cameras all over Abu Dhabi but from my experience, cameras and enforcement are not enough,' said Mohammed Kishta, traffic safety engineering expert at Integrated Transport Centre — ITC Abu Dhabi. 'You need to teach drivers the reason why they have to be safe behind the wheel.' He was speaking at a panel discussion at the Mobility Live event which took place in Dubai last week. Dr. Mustafa Aldah, Founder of MA Traffic Consulting, added that there are 'more than 600 speed cameras in addition to other devices' manning the roads of Dubai but the most important factor in accidents was that 'human beings were careless' when driving. All experts unanimously agreed that mobile phones were the biggest distraction for drivers. 'Distractions are of three kinds — visual, physical and cognitive,' said Faisal Mustafa, Team Leader of Road Safety at WSP in the Middle East. 'Mobile phones have all three distractions.' Affects multiple agencies It was revealed earlier this year that distracted driving was the number one cause of fatalities in 2024, with a total of 384 road deaths recorded across the country. Sumaya Al Neyadi, Section Head of Traffic Safety at ITC, emphasised that finding a solution is imperative and must come from multiple stakeholders. 'Distracted driving is the number one cause of road fatalities around the world,' she said. 'When there's a fatal accident, it doesn't just impact the police or emergency services. All agencies — including the Department of Health, hospitals, police, and Civil Defence — must respond. So, everyone should come together to find solutions.' She added that education is key to changing community mindsets. 'We need more awareness campaigns so that drivers understand the dangers of distraction,' she said. 'We need to help them become aware of what happens after an accident.' According to Faisal, even city design, confusing traffic lights, and flawed infrastructure can be sources of distraction. Regular road audits are conducted across the UAE to identify and rectify such problem areas. Building habits One expert pointed out that the behaviour of parents behind the wheel plays a significant role in shaping how their children will drive in the future. 'A study done in Australia shows that children as young as four, sitting in the backseat, begin learning driving behaviours from their parents,' said Faisal. 'If the parents are talking on the phone and driving distracted, their children are more likely to adopt those habits when they grow up.' Dr. Mohammed Shawky, Professor of Traffic Engineering at Ain Shams University, added that road safety education should begin in schools. 'If you want a culture shift in road safety, you need to target children early,' he said. 'Studies have shown that children who receive road safety lessons urge their parents to stop only in designated areas and disembark more safely.' Dr. Mustafa concluded by saying that road safety needs to be treated as a public health priority. 'It should be addressed just like cancer or heart disease,' he said, 'if we want to reduce fatality rates significantly.'
