Parents who drive while distracted by children can spend nearly a quarter of their time behind the wheel looking away from the road.
While public service announcements have focused on the dangers of texting while driving, recent studies have shown that parenting while driving can also be dangerous.
ABC 4 in Utah reported:
Distracted driving is thought to be the cause of 50% of all car crashes. The 2011 Accident Analysis and Prevention study found in an average 16-minute long trip, parents spend a staggering 3 minutes 22 seconds looking away from the road; that’s like driving almost a quarter of the trip with something blocking your vision.
Nagelberg Bernard Law Group also points out:
“By allowing the focus of attention be directed to the child in the back seat, the driver allows serious hazards to pose accident risks. To focus on the road and deal with a baby in the car could be too distracting, safety advocates say. Texting and driving is just as dangerous as dealing with a baby or a dog in the back seat.”
Sources
- Texting And Parenting Behind The Wheel Pose Serious Dangers To Drivers (Nagelberg Bernard Law Group: October 4, 2012)
- Studies Show Parenting Behind the Wheel is Distracting and Dangerous (Kimberly Nelson, ABC 4 Utah: March 24, 2013)
