Distracted driving is a behaviour dangerous to drivers, passengers, and non-occupants alike. Distraction is a specific type of inattention that occurs when drivers divert their attention from the driving task to focus on some other activity instead. This book examines data gathered on specific distracting activities to support the development of safety countermeasures and to conduct improved data analysis.
Distracted driving is a behavior dangerous to drivers, passengers, and non-occupants alike. Distraction is a specific type of inattention that occurs when drivers divert their attention from the driving task to focus on some other activity instead. Of those people killed in distraction-affected crashes, 408 occurred in crashes in which at least one of the drivers was using a cell phone (13% of fatalities in distraction-affected crashes) at the time of the crash. Use of a cell phone includes talking/listening to a cell phone, dialing/texting a cell phone, or other cell-phone-related activities. In keeping with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's distraction plan (Overview of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Driver Distraction Program, April 2010, DOT HS 811 299), the agency continues to refine collection of information about the role of distracted driving in police-reported crashes. This book examines data gathered on specific distracting activities to support the development of safety countermeasures and to conduct improved data analysis.
"Deserves a spot next to Fast Food Nation and To Kill a Mockingbird in America’s high school curriculums. To say it may save lives is self-evident.” —New York Times Book Review (Editor's Choice) NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: San Francisco Chronicle, Chrisitian Science Monitor, Kirkus, Winnipeg Free Press One of the decade's most original and masterfully reported books, A Deadly Wandering by Pulitzer Prize–winning New York Times journalist Matt Richtel interweaves the cutting-edge science of attention with the tensely plotted story of a mysterious car accident and its aftermath to answer some of the defining questions of our time: What is technology doing to us? Can our minds keep up with the pace of change? How can we find balance? On the last day of summer, an ordinary Utah college student named Reggie Shaw fatally struck two rocket scientists while texting and driving along a majestic stretch of highway bordering the Rocky Mountains. A Deadly Wandering follows Reggie from the moment of the tragedy, through the police investigation, the state's groundbreaking prosecution, and ultimately, Reggie's wrenching admission of responsibility. Richtel parallels Reggie's journey with leading-edge scientific findings on the impact technology has on our brains, showing how these devices play to our deepest social instincts. A propulsive read filled with surprising scientific detail, riveting narrative tension, and rare emotional depth, A Deadly Wandering is a book that can change—and save—lives.
We all want to believe we can drive responsibly and monitor distractions. But our attention is limited by nature, and we are often very subtly distracted from noticing things right in front of us. Depending on what you're doing while you're driving, you could literally miss seeing a giraffe grazing on the roadside. Because of distractions, many people have failed to see a gorilla beating its chest right in front of them, and this is no joke.We really are not good multi-taskers when our attention is spread over tasks that require dedicated attention. That's why conversations on cellphones turn out to be a serious distraction to drivers. Read this book and see what you think. And then see what you think about whether it's fair to the rest of the people in your car or on the road when you allow yourself to be distracted in the special way that cellphones can distract.
Cell phones, while providing an easy means communication, have been cited as the cause of thousands of deadly driving accidents throughout the United States. Through objective overviews, primary sources, and full-color illustrations, this title examines The Distractions of Driving, The Science of Distraction, Cell Phones and the Law, Have Laws Reduced Cell Phone Distraction? Other Efforts to Reduce Cell Phone Use by Drivers.
Certain activities and events both inside and outside a vehicle can distract drivers and lead to degraded performance. New technologies- such as entertainment, communication, and driver assistance systems- play a significant role in distraction. This unique volume defines driver distraction, discusses various causes, and explains how to measure acceptable and unacceptable levels of distraction. Several chapters address measurement techniques based on performance and epidemiological studies. Most importantly, the text explores ways to mitigate driver distraction as well as countermeasures including vehicle design and effective legislation.
The Smartphone Paradox is a critical examination of our everyday mobile technologies and the effects that they have on our thoughts and behaviors. Alan J. Reid presents a comprehensive view of smartphones: the research behind the uses and gratifications of smartphones, the obstacles they present, the opportunities they afford, and how everyone can achieve a healthy, technological balance. It includes interviews with smartphone users from a variety of backgrounds, and translates scholarly research into a conversational tone, making it easy to understand a synthesis of key findings and conclusions from a heavily-researched domain. All in all, through the lens of smartphone dependency, the book makes the argument for digital mindfulness in a device age that threatens our privacy, sociability, attention, and cognitive abilities.
