lesson 8.1DRIVER INATTENTION AND DISTRACTIONS

How can you manage distractions that take your focus away from the driving task?

OBJECTIVE Describe what is meant by driver inattention.

Drivers who reach for items on the dash or in the glove compartment, eat or drink while driving, tune the radio, or chat on a cell phone are inattentive drivers.

•According to the NHTSA, driver inattention is a major factor in most crashes and near-crashes.

In one study, it was determined that 80 percent of crashes and at least 65 percent of near-crashes involved some form of driver inattention within three seconds prior to the crash.

OBJECTIVE Identify how distracted driving differs from inattentive driving.

Driver Inattention and Distracted Driving

Driving is a complex task requiring focus on the driving task.

•Driver inattention is when awareness and focus drift to anything other than the driving task.

Driver inattention may be unintentional. Fatigue, for example, often causes drivers’ attention to drift away from the driving task.

You are a fatigued driver arriving at this intersection.

What could cause you to lose attention to your driving task at this intersection?

Distracted driving is when an event, person, activity, or object draws a driver’s attention away from the driving task.

The driver chooses to do something that is not necessary to the driving task.

Study this traffic scene. Identify possible driver distractions.

Did you see the pedestrian in the wheelchair? What could cause you to not see the pedestrian?

Predict what a driver would do if a drink falls out of its holder and spills onto the floor while making a turn.

•Where would the driver’s focus be?•What steering action could occur?•What could be the consequences?

Attention Status of Drivers in Crashes

Describe some possible causes for the “unknown” crash statistic.

OBJECTIVE List the four categories of driving distractions.

Distraction Classifications

The NHTSA groups driver distractions into either those that occur inside the vehicle or those that occur outside the vehicle.

These distractions fall into four different categories:

1. cognitive2. visual3. auditory4. biomechanical

Cognitive Distractions

A cognitive distraction is when your mind is lost in thought or in a daydream.

Why is talking on a cell phone a cognitive distraction?

How would drivers behind you react if you were waiting to make a left turn while talking on the cell phone and didn’t see the green arrow?

Visual Distractions

A visual distraction is anything that causes you to take your eyes off the roadway ahead.

Some distractions have intentionally been placed in strategic locations to catch drivers’ attention.

What message is being shown in this scene?

The copyright holder has not granted permission to display this photograph in a downloadable format. You may view the photograph in the Drive Right Presentation for this lesson on your Keys to Teaching Success disc.

Auditory Distractions

Any distractions caused by sounds are auditory distractions.

•A crying child or a siren can easily divert a driver’s attention away from the driving task.

Biomechanical Distractions

Any mechanical act not specifically related to driving that is performed by a driver is a biomechanical distraction.

Biomechanical distractions include:

•pushing a button•turning a dial•picking up a CD or soft drink

OBJECTIVE Describe what drivers can do to avoid driver inattention and distraction.

There are things you can do when driving to avoid being distracted.

•If fatigued, stop and stretch or switch drivers.•Limit conversations with passengers.•Avoid emotional conversations.•Read the owner’s manual to understand how to

work the controls and any particular features in the car.

•Adjust your seat, mirrors, and radio presets before entering traffic.

•Set rules for passengers.•Secure loose objects.

lesson 8.1 review1. When is a driver considered to be inattentive?

2. Describe the four categories of driver distractions and give an example of each.