Distracted driving is a broad subject with considerable implications. That makes the Distracted Driving Summit here in Washington, D.C., fascinating. (And yes, it goes well beyond my personal interests and background in ergonomics/human factors, a subject that is now being played out on a big stage.) What strikes me is the diversity of opinions from the various participants assembled here on a subject that is impacting all of us, and sadly some more directly than others.
 
On-hand to wrestle with these issues are:

Researchers from prominent universities who conduct studies about the performance of distracted drivers.

Representatives from other non-profit organizations concerned about traffic safety.

Advocates for other forms of transportation, including mass transit and bicycling.

Inventors and entrepreneurs who are advocating their idea as a possible solution.

Victims who have lost family members due to distracted driving.

Representatives from industry organizations, including automakers and the electronics industries.

Lawmakers and other policymakers who have pushed for legislation and regulation on the state and federal levels.

 
Needless to say, this variety of participants makes for a rather interesting conference. Less than an hour into the first morning’s panel session, a questioner wanted to simply draw a line in the sand and pronounce hand-held devices as a clear menace. Issue over, move on. (He made the point again in a later questioning session.) An attendee who lost her family member in a crash caused by someone talking hands-free on their phone emotionally railed at the “false sense of security” promoted by legislating and promoting hands-free devices.

Hanging over the conference is an inherent controversy in the body of scientific research, mentioned several times by the first panel presenter, Dr. John D. Lee from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. While simulator studies show cognitive impairment by simply having a cell phone conversation, naturalistic studies (real drivers in real cars on real roads) show that the eyes-off-road time from dialing or texting is a much larger concern.

The relative risks of each impairment type -- cognitive and visual -- aren’t quite agreed upon in the scientific community. However, everyone agrees that changing the mindset of drivers is essential -- and that not having the cell phone conversation at all would be preferable.

Obviously, that poses a conflict when it comes to regulation. There are different responses to banning hand-held cell phones or texting versus banning texting or cell phone use at all in a car. The latter idea has big implications for the electronics industry and for automakers, particularly ones like Ford who have developed their Sync hands-free system and GM, who has studies showing that OnStar is safer than using other telephony methods. It also has implications for consumers, who know that using a phone/texting while driving is dangerous, but they do it anyway.
 
Next from the Distracted Driving Summit: Defining the problem

—Tom Mutchler

For more information on distracted driving see our related reports:

Automakers agree to ban
Anti-texting video to scare drivers straight
Using wireless communication devices while driving
Cell phone use and driving laws
Dangers of cell phones while driving
Should cell phone use by drivers be illegal?
Texting while driving
Talking in the slow lane