In-motion driving and texting have never been a good combination. But what about texting while the vehicle is still at rest? According to a new research, it's not a good idea either.
Many studies have already established the harmful effects of using mobile devices especially a smart phone while driving in motion. However, there's hardly any evidence on its possible impact if the vehicle is stopped, specifically at the light.
According to the researchers from the University of Pennsylvania led by Joseph Bernstein, it can be just as dangerous since it prevents the drivers from reacting promptly to any changes in road conditions such as when an ambulance is passing through. Further, using an anecdote from a colleague, Bernstein shared how it can also lead to poor situational awareness since the mind may not immediately attend to vital information that enhances driver's safety.
For the study, Bernstein and his team collected data for a period of 6 weeks in summer 2014 for two hours from 4pm Mondays to Fridays. A roadside observer is positioned in a busy intersection in Ardmore, Pennsylvania. The team had eventually selected 2,000 vehicles, of which 1,000 were traveling and observed while the observer was less than 30 meters way from the traffic light. The observer determines device use using best judgment.
Upon analyses, at least 14.5% of stopped drivers were texting, which was almost 5 times the rate of moving drivers at 3%. The difference remains the same even if factors such as gender are considered. The high percentage may also mean that the stopped drivers have not stowed their phone away, and the device's close physical presence may further worsen the distraction.
However, in-motion drivers were more likely to talk on the phone than stopped drivers.
Nevertheless, wearing seatbelts and having a front-seat passenger could have an impact with stopped driving. The study found out that device use was more common among drivers not wearing seatbelts. On the other hand, it's lower among those who had front-seat passengers, the reduction of which may be associated with reduced boredom or presence of someone who could correct bad behavior.
The entire study is now available in BMC Public Health.
