Fundamentals, Implications and Strategies to Reduce Distracted Driving
Did you know? A recent study found that 81% of collisions and near misses had at least one potential distraction that occurred within five seconds before the event.
Overview
Although many have an idea of what the term “driver distraction” means, there is no common definition within the research community. Additionally, there are many studies that have investigated the topic, but with varying – and sometimes conflicting – results. What should be made of these discrepancies? This module will provide an overview of truck driver distraction (focused mostly on electronic devices). More specifically, the module will identify the problem of distracted driving in the context of commercial vehicle operations. Fleet safety managers will learn about the current state of research regarding distracted driving and the effectiveness of state laws and fleet policies to reduce it, and will conclude with a summary of strategies, techniques, and technologies that have been shown to be effective in reducing distracted driving. The knowledge gained in this module will allow safety managers to identify sources of driver distraction as well as how to effectively mitigate and/or eliminate those sources of driver distraction in their everyday fleet operations.
Learning Objectives
By completing this module, you will be able to:
- Weigh the extent of the truck driver distraction problem.
- Assess the effectiveness of policy efforts to reduce driver distraction from electronic devices.
- Determine effective strategies, techniques, and technologies for minimizing distracted driving.