| Unintentional motor vehicle crashes (MVC) are the leading cause of unintentional injury death in the United States. Driver distraction contributes significantly to MVCs. However, little is known about the prevalence of driver distraction. This study used a quantitative, observational, cross-sectional research design to assess the frequency of distracted driving. Four hundred nine vehicles, selected using a multistage cluster sampling approach, were videotaped at 20 intersections in a northeastern U.S. metropolitan area. The research questions examined whether differences in distracted driving exist based on drivers' residence, vehicle type, gender, and age. Chi-square and regression analyses were conducted to determine whether there were differences in driver behaviors based the driver and vehicle variables. The key finding was that nearly one-third of drivers in the study were distracted. The results indicate that driver and vehicle characteristics, with the exception of vehicle type, had no significant association with and did not predict frequency of distraction. The conclusion is that distracted driving is occurring at high frequencies across driver characteristics. It is recommended that policy makers and prevention professionals strengthen enforcement of laws and develop campaigns to address this issue. The social change significance is that these actions, if taken, can reduce the avoidable injury and death from distracted driving crashes. |
