Skip to main content

Driver distraction is a road safety risk

Driver distraction is an increasing concern for the road safety sector. According to the FIA Region 2 (Federation Internationale de l’Automobile), a distraction time of just two seconds is sufficient to cause a crash. The FIA’s data suggests that to 25% of road crashes are due to distraction, with 25-30% of total driving time spent on distracting activities. Commissioner Bulc, European Commissioner for Transport, recently warned against distraction caused by the use of mobile phone. She said, “Distraction
September 12, 2019 Read time: 2 mins

Driver distraction is an increasing concern for the road safety sector. According to the FIA Region 2 (Federation Internationale de l’Automobile), a distraction time of just two seconds is sufficient to cause a crash. The FIA’s data suggests that to 25% of road crashes are due to distraction, with 25-30% of total driving time spent on distracting activities.

Commissioner Bulc, European Commissioner for Transport, recently warned against distraction caused by the use of mobile phone. She said, “Distraction from mobile devices has become one of the top crash factors. Reports show it has even overtaken speed and alcohol as the highest risk factors.”

She recognised the value of the 2seconds campaign in raising awareness of the risk of distraction among road users: “Technology can help, and the EU is making sure that everyone benefits from it: making driver drowsiness and distraction warning systems mandatory for all cars in its new vehicle safety legislation. But this can only be an assistance to drivers. It is crucial that all road users are aware of the high risks of even short spans of inattention. This is why I fully support the 2seconds campaign. To achieve zero road deaths by 2050 in the EU, we need to do everything we can – together.”

With the #2seconds campaign, 8055 FIA Region I and our national member Clubs are raising awareness on distraction, stressing that even very short lapses of attention can have dramatic and even fatal consequences.

If motorists are not trained on new in-vehicle safety technologies proper use, they can also become a source of distraction.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • All change: get ready to rethink everything
    November 10, 2022
    How can we make our infrastructure ready for new sustainability challenges? What kind of investments are needed? And who will finance them? Tolling association Asecap has some thoughts. Geoff Hadwick reports from Lisbon
  • Tackling Indian road safety
    December 5, 2012
    India’s road safety record is the world’s worst but there are plans to tackle the problems. Patrick Smith reports from New Delhi. A speeded up video of a short section of road in the Indian capital Delhi was followed by a question. “How many infringements did you count in that 25-second clip on a typical day in Delhi,” asked Dr Rohit Baluja, a question that brought understandable silence. It equated to hundreds of millions of infringements each year, said Dr Baluja, president, Institute of Road Traffic Educ
  • Improved vehicle safety fo
    February 26, 2019
    Measures to improve vehicle safety are being planned for Europe. A new report on vehicle safety has now been adopted by the European Parliament’s Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO). The report has been advocated by FIA Region I and sets an ambitious approach to road safety. The report sets out plans on introducing improvements for both active and passive in-vehicle safety. These proven safety technologies should be introduced as standard for all vehicles, according to the report. T
  • Greater risk to pedestrians from safer cars?
    March 11, 2016
    A new study the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) in the US reveals that pedestrian deaths are increasing. The study is based on preliminary data from the State Highway Safety Offices. Following adjustments to that data for underreporting, the GHSA study estimates that pedestrian deaths increased 10% in the first half of 2015 compared with the previous year. Even without the adjustment, pedestrian deaths were still 6% greater, at 2,368 for 2015 than 2014.