Articles Tagged with distracted driving

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DUIs cited as leading cause of NJ fatal car crashes for 2021Fatal traffic accidents in New Jersey have increased for the third consecutive year, according to a recently released NJ State Police report analyzing traffic accidents in 2021. A total of 667 deadly accidents occurred in the state that year; of those, 210 accidents were said to have been the result of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol (DUI). This is the first time in 10 years DUIs were cited as the leading cause of fatal accidents. During those 10 years, distracted driving or driver inattention was the top factor.

Impaired driving covers various substances, not just alcohol. While there are tests for analyzing the level of alcohol in a driver’s system at the time of an accident, determining the level of other substances such as marijuana is not as easy. Officials are now working on strategies to further educate drivers on the risks of driving under the influence of any substance, legal or illegal, as well as continuing their campaign against distracted driving. More information on the findings of this report can be found here.

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Driver-behaviors-PI-blog-300x200The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety’s recent survey of driver behaviors yielded mixed results: U.S. drivers appear to recognize the dangers associated with certain risky habits that could increase the likelihood of accidents yet admit there are other unsafe activities they still engage in while behind the wheel.

The survey of self-reported driving behaviors looked at driving habits during the period 2018 to 2020. The results revealed a downward trend in such activities as running red lights and driving while drowsy or under the influence. At the same time, it showed drivers continued to engage in other risky behaviors like using handheld cell phones and driving over the posted speed limits. To see all the numbers, read “Self-Reported Dangerous Driving Habits Revealed In New Survey.”

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Distracted-Driving-PI-blog-300x200The latest research ranks New Jersey second out of all states for having the highest rate of fatal motor vehicle accidents attributed to distracted driving. Is this a reflection of drivers’ inattentiveness or the State’s efforts to combat and report this risky behavior?

The research, which looks at statistics from various government agencies including the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), shows that 24.6% of New Jersey’s fatal traffic accidents resulted from some sort of driver distraction. Cell phone use – both the use of handheld phones and texting – is often cited as a major distractor, but other activities like eating and applying makeup can be contributing factors. For further information and to see which state ranked number one, read “New Jersey Gets Low Marks for Distracted Driving.”

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car_accident_AdobeStock_277615475-300x200If you thought some of the restrictions put in place to help stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus – business closures, curfews, remote schooling, work-from-home orders – would mean fewer cars on the road resulting in fewer accidents, you would only be half right.

While it is true there were fewer vehicles on New Jersey roads in 2020, the number of fatalities from motor vehicle accidents was higher than it had been in the two years prior. New Jersey was not the only state to experience an increase in traffic deaths during the early days of the pandemic; similar trends were found throughout the country. Authorities point to more risky behavior by drivers as a leading factor behind these sobering statistics. To learn more, read “Fewer Cars on NJ Roads But Still More Fatal Accidents in 2020.”

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safety_features_AdobeStock_272596255-1-300x199Each year it seems the automobile industry introduces new technologies designed to make driving easier and safer and to help us avoid accidents and related injuries. But do these technologies help, or do they lead to even more accidents resulting from driver inattention?

A recent study by AAA suggests the answer to that question could depend, at least in part, on the names used when marketing these advanced technology systems. For further details read, “AAA Study: Drivers Too Willing to Abandon Responsibility to Technology.”

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traffc-fatalities-rise-400-04617293d-300x200Reports from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) show that, on a national level, traffic accident deaths decreased by 1.8% in 2017, but that wasn’t the story in New Jersey. In fact, 624 people lost their lives on New Jersey roads last year, representing a 3.7% increase in traffic fatalities from 2016.

The NHTSA report further indicated that deaths from alcohol-related accidents in the State were down last year. So, what’s behind the increase motor vehicle accident fatalities? Read “Traffic deaths continue to increase in N.J. Experts cite 3 main reasons” to find out.

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accidenti-fatalities-400-07681738d-300x162In 2015 New Jersey joined several other states in adopting a traffic safety strategy to cut the number of traffic accident-related deaths in half by the year 2030, yet traffic fatalities in the State continue to rise.

A recent report by the New Jersey State Police revealed there were 46 accident-related deaths in the State this past January, one more than in January 2017 and four more than in January 2016. Distracted driving was identified as a major contributor to this increasing fatality rate, leading some to believe that the eventual introduction of self-driving cars could play a major role in reducing the number of accidents and related injuries and deaths in the State. To learn more, read “NJ Counting on Self-Driving Cars to Cut Traffic Deaths by Half.”

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Photo of woman behind the wheel of a car yawning depicts growing problem fatigued driving poses on nation's roadsEvery state in the nation has laws against drunk driving, and most have laws against using cell phones and engaging in other distracting behaviors while behind the wheel. Few states, however, have addressed the dangers of fatigued driving.

New Jersey is one of only two states that currently have laws designed to crack down on fatigued driving. Under New Jersey law, sleep-deprived drivers involved in fatal accidents could face charges of vehicular homicide.

It is estimated that sleep-deprived drivers are involved in more than 300,000 accidents every year and that over 6,000 of those accidents are fatal, according to a recent study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. Often drowsy drivers can exhibit behaviors similar to those of drunk drivers – impaired judgment, slower reaction times – putting them at greater risks for accidents. The condition is difficult to prove and few law enforcement officers are trained to recognize it. To learn more about the dangers of drowsy driving, the efforts that could help reduce the associated risks, and why enforcement of these efforts is so difficult, read “Why It’s Hard to Crack Down on Drowsy Driving.”

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vehicle-technologies-400-04836694d-300x200Car buyers today are hard-pressed to find vehicles that aren’t equipped with technologies designed to make things easier and safer for drivers, but do these technologies actually accomplish that? Not according to recent research by the AAA Foundation. In fact, the research has shown that voice-activated programming takes drivers’ attention away from the road for longer than they realize, increasing the risk of crashes and injuries.

One of the problems is that drivers often find the in-vehicle “infotainment” systems complicated and frustrating. Is the technology at fault or is it the way in which drivers use the technology that causes the problem? Read “Deadly distractions? . . .” and decide for yourself.

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Distracted driving photo of arms of driver with one hand on steering wheel and the other operating a cell phoneDespite all the warnings about the dangers, drivers in the U.S. continue to operate cell phones while behind the wheel. In fact, according to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), about 660,000 drivers can be found using their cell phones in some manner at any given time.

Safety issues related to distracted driving have reached epidemic proportions over the past 10 years, resulting in an average of 3,000 deaths and 450,000 injuries due to distracted driving-related accidents each year. While cell phones represent only one of the distractions drivers face today, it is believed they divert drivers’ attention more often and for longer stretches of time than other distractions. Will adopting more laws restricting cell phone use cure this epidemic? Read “Liberty v. Tyranny: More States Pass Laws Outlawing Cell Phone Use While Driving” to reach your own conclusions.

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