Distracted Driving – including the use of wireless devices such as cell phones – contributes to between 4,000 and 8,000 crashes every day in the United States. In a year, they contribute to as many as one-half of the 6 million U.S. crashes reported annually.
The best advice is to avoid distractions behind the wheel.
Will banning hand-held cell phones improve safety?
AAA discourages any and all distractions to drivers, including, but not limited to, talking and texting while driving.
A study funded by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety on the effects of cell phone use on driver attention found that the distraction of using a hands-free cell phone is about the same as tuning a radio.
Research shows other distractions — such as eating a sandwich, tending to small children, conversing with a passenger or gazing at objects outside the vehicle — occur more frequently and can be just as distracting as talking on a cell phone.
AAA continues to sponsor research and raise awareness on distracted driving issues.