Distracted Driving Can Kill: Two Countermeasures to Reduce the Risk of Crashes Due to Inattention

Distracted driving is an epidemic that claimed 3,308 lives in 2022, and annually accounts for 8-9 percent of fatal vehicle collisions, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). April is Distracted Driving Month, so it’s time to boost your defenses by helping your commercial drivers keep their eyes on the road ahead.

Educating people on the hazards of driving distracted is a first step. If education were enough, people would quit smoking or other unhealthy habits without interventions. Camera-driven coaching and defensive driving training are highly effective countermeasures that can eliminate distracted driving crashes.

What is distracted driving?

First, knowing which behaviors distract drivers is crucial. Distracted driving happens when a driver engages in any activity that takes their eyes and mind off the road. The most common

distractions include talking or texting on your phone (even in hand-free mode), eating and drinking, adjusting vehicle controls, operating fatigued/drowsy, and reaching for items.

Below are two effective countermeasures to avoid crashes due to distracted driving or other drivers who don’t have their focus on the road.

1. Dash cam-driven coaching

Cameras powered by artificial intelligence (AI) can detect when a driver’s attention is away from the roadway or diminished due to fatigue. Triggered video clips of distracted driving events can be used for coaching to eliminate these dangerous behaviors while behind the wheel.

To support the case for investing in AI powered dash cams, additional compelling statistics include:

• J. J. Keller’s Customer and Market Insights 2025 Fleet Manager Pain Points survey found that 24 percent of fleet managers deemed “How to avoid distracted driving” the most important driver skill or behavior to improve.
• A Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) study found that truckers texting while driving are 23.2 times more likely to be involved in an accident than those not driving distracted.
• The use of handheld electronic devices for commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers carries maximum fines of $2,750 for drivers and up to $11,000 for carriers. Also, a CMV driver will be suspended from CMV driving for 60 days if they have two handheld electronic device

offenses in three years.

Imagine driving with your eyes closed. A similar effect occurs when people are distracted behind the wheel. Below are examples of distractions along with the distance traveled at 60 miles per hour:

• Read a billboard for 1.5 seconds: 132 feet
• Tune a radio for 2 seconds: 176 feet
• Press numbers on a cell phone display for 7 seconds 616 feet (> two football fields)

2. Looking out for distracted drivers

A driver can only control their own behavior — what about all those other drivers on the road? An effective way to counter this risk is to train drivers to identify and avoid distracted drivers.

Distracted drivers may:

• Linger at intersections,
• Make sudden stops,
• Change speed erratically,
• Make sudden moves,
• Tailgate,
• Brake suddenly,
• Drift between lanes, and/or
• Use a cell phone.

Four elements of defensive driving that help avoid distracted drivers include:

1. Constant visual scans,
2. Observing others’ without getting distracted themselves,
3. Proper speed and space management, and
4. Focus on safety by getting away from the situation.

Carriers should consider this a call to action if they are not already using cameras and defensive driving training to eliminate distracted driving crashes.