Getting behind the wheel of a car is a risky proposition, particularly when it comes to other drivers sharing the road while distracted. Their awareness of the deadly dangers posed when eyes turn away from the road ahead is even more alarming, based on results from a survey focused on driving behaviors and attitudes.
More than 37 percent of respondents concur that distractions caused by smartphones directly undermine the ability to drive safely. However, 28.6 percent still confess to texting as their number-one type of distraction. Nearly 18 percent of 18 to 24-year-olds feel the most pressure to respond.
Drivers aged 25 to 34 account for nearly nine percent who feel the need to follow up immediately with return texts from the moment they arrive. Work-related e-correspondence is also a top priority for 7.3 percent of the same demographic.
So-called awareness is not enough
The hypocrisy continues when it comes to respondents who”completely agree” that texting and driving are the same as drinking and driving. They, too, also admit to operating their vehicles under the influence.
The choice of devices represents a significant factor as well. Android enthusiasts are more likely to become distracted by their preferred device, with 55.1 percent prone to look away from the road ahead. The statistic represents a 2.7 percent decrease.
Apple users are less likely to become distracted, with more than 40 percent confessing to grabbing their smartphone while driving. However, the 13.7 increase from the previous year reveals that iPhones could catch up to their counterparts.
Smartphones are a temptation that many drivers cannot resist, making distracted driving an ongoing, clear, and present danger that results in serious injuries and fatalities.