Dangers of distracted driving danger persist
Recent report showing a drop in distracted driving citations across Pennsylvania is a positive development.
In our quest for silver linings, it would be nice to think that a recent report showing a drop in distracted driving citations in Pennsylvania reports a positive change in driver behavior.
We doubt that is the case. The report from the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts showed the number of distracted driving citations decreased about 47% from 2019 to 2020, according to AOPC data. During 2020, there were 2,293 distracted driving citations issued statewide, down from 4,292 in 2019.
Distracted-driving citations in Pennsylvania can be issued for using headphones while driving, using a handheld mobile phone while driving a commercial vehicle, and texting while driving. Texting includes sending, reading or writing a text-based message.
Regionally, Montgomery and Chester counties were among the top three counties in the state for number of such citations. With 188 distracted driving citations issued by police during 2020, Montgomery County ranked second in the state in the number of citations issued. Only Allegheny County recorded more distracted driving citations, a total of 197 during 2020.
Montgomery County’s 188 distracted driving citations represented a significant decrease from the 443 citations issued during 2019, the year before the pandemic surfaced, according to the state court data.
We could surmise that the pandemic inspired in drivers a new awareness of safety and a more focused ability to concentrate on the task at hand, that of driving the vehicle. But that would be naïve. A more plausible explanation is that Pennsylvanians were driving less as COVID-19 restrictions kept people close to home.
Another factor was the type of driving. A 10-minute jaunt to the grocery store does not create the same distraction-ridden atmosphere as a 45-minute commute to work. The temptation to eat breakfast, apply makeup, straighten your shirt, call the office, or check the day care cam goes away when the children and co-workers are all at home.
We could reasonably expect that distracted driving numbers will spike back up with schools open and people returning to work sites and getting out for meals, entertainment and shopping.
That’s too bad: Among the lessons we could have/ should have learned in this pandemic is the benefit to mind and body and to safety of being in the moment and appreciating the task in front of us, rather than rushing on toward the tasks ahead.
Distracted driving remains a life-threatening issue to drivers, their passengers and others on the road because while a driver is distracted — by a text, cell phone or those aforementioned personal grooming chores — critical events or cues are missed.
One of every ten fatal crashes in the U.S. involves distraction, resulting in more than 3,000 deaths per year, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety has sponsored research on distracted driving that has shown that a driver taking eyes off the road for more than two seconds doubles the risk of a crash.
The Foundation’s research has also shown that surveys of attitudes toward road safety find that drivers are willing to engage in distracting behaviors behind the wheel despite knowing the dangers. Drivers surveyed say they view distracted driving as a serious hazard — and yet many admit to one or more distracted behaviors while operating a motor vehicle.
The drop in citations during this year of COVID cannot be interpreted as a win against distracted driving. More statistics are needed after months of a return to more travel, to workplaces and to shopping, restaurants and school activities. The report can, however, serve as a reminder of the value of reporting and citing instances of distracted driving when it occurs. The goal is to truly reduce distracted driving. Awareness, enforcement and paying attention will make roadways safer for everyone.