Communications of the ACM
Texting and Driving Isn't a Millennial Problem. It's an Engineering Problem
Credit: Wired
Millennials love their smartphones and refuse to drive without them. According to AAA, two-thirds of drivers ages 19 to 24 have read a text message or email while behind the wheel in the last thirty days.
But before you get all wound up about the wayward youth, look at the rest of the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety's latest annual Traffic Safety Culture Index. According to the self-reported survey of 2,511 licensed drivers 16 and older, the problem's all over the age spectrum.
More than 40 percent of respondents admit they've used their phones while driving. And 81 percent say that kind of behavior poses a "very serious threat" to their personal safety. Meanwhile, U.S. road deaths rose six percent in 2016, and injuries from distracted driving-caused crashes jumped 10 percent between 2011 and 2013.
No amount of fist shaking or age shaming will fix this problem. Banishing distracted driving demands an engineering solution.
From Wired
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