Drivers with Child Passengers are More Distracted than Those Talking on Cell Phones
As distracted driving receives more attention by our local police departments, research is being gathered to potentially implement “distracted driving” laws. In a CBS2 News investigation in Chicago, cameras were installed in vehicles of drivers with a variety of situations. Some had no children, but talked on their cell phones and others had multiple children. Researchers watched for the amount of time drivers had their eyes off the road during an average trip and compared distraction levels among all participants.
They found that mothers of young children were the most distracted, frequently looking back to check on their children and to tell them to settle down. Drivers with children had their eyes off the road 21% of the time which is 12 times longer than the average amount of time distracted when someone is talking on a cell phone.
If you are driving with children, keep your eyes on the road while interacting with them and vocally check in with them rather than visually. Talking and singing to keep them well behaved is much less distracting then frequently looking away from the road.
The Cunnane Law Office has provided this content for informational purposes only. You should refer your questions to a personal injury attorney.
