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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 20, 2006
Jonathan Adkins
Governors Highway Safety Association
(202)789-0942, jadkins@ghsa.org
Driver Inattention Study: Education and Not Legislation Can Provide Remedy
Statement for Attribution to Lt. Colonel Jim Champagne, Chair of the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA)
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute released research that concludes that driver inattention is the leading factor in most crashes and near-crashes. The study reports that nearly 80 percent of crashes and 65 percent of near-crashes involved some form of driver inattention within three seconds before the crash.
This research is another reminder to everyone that driving is a complex task and full attention is needed behind the wheel. Given longer commutes and time spent behind the wheel, it is not surprising that drivers suffer from drowsiness and increasingly feel the need to multi-task. While the public may be aware of the dangers of inattention, more work must be done. NHTSA and state highway safety agencies may want to consider new, innovative educational campaigns to remind drivers of the dangers.
I urge legislators not to interpret these results as a need for new legislative initiatives. It is simply not good public policy to pass laws addressing every type of driver behavior. Three states and Washington, D.C. currently have jurisdiction-wide cell phone bans while a few other jurisdictions have enacted broader bans against overall driver distraction (For a list of such laws, visit www.ghsa.org/html/stateinfo/laws/cellphone_laws.html). Before additional states enact such laws, NHTSA must fund studies to review what, if any, impact these laws have had since being enacted. This information is critically important to help policy makers determine how to best address driver inattention and distraction.
While today’s study provides a wealth of information, it is only one study and a piece of the puzzle. This project provides another set of data which needs to be considered by federal and state decision makers when developing a comprehensive highway safety program. NHTSA and the states must be careful not to overreact to one research project but to continue to thoughtfully base priorities on a complete body of research and crash data.
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To view the study, visit www.nhtsa.dot.gov.
Distracted Driving laws are posted online at:
www.ghsa.org/html/stateinfo/laws/cellphone_laws.html.
The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA)® is a nonprofit association representing the highway safety offices of states, territories, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. GHSA provides leadership and representation for the states and territories to improve traffic safety, influence national policy and enhance program management. Its members are appointed by their Governors to administer federal and state highway safety funds and implement state highway safety plans. Contact GHSA at 202-789-0942 or visit www.ghsa.org.