1. Road Traffic Digest No. 12
Distractions During Driving 3D
Ref: Road Accident/causes/Human Errors-3

2. Multitasking behind the wheel can be dangerous.
Distracted driving in its various forms contributes
to about 18% of serious or fatal crashes.
Remember
A slight distraction at high speeds can prove fatal !
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3. For safe driving, proper coordination of three
systems is extremely necessary viz:
• Eyes - fixed on to the road
• Hands – to have a good grip on the steering
• Mind - should react quickly to any unfavourable situation
An act that affects the efficiency of any one of these
three factors can prove to be potentially dangerous.
Some common distractions are …

4. Distraction No.1- Use of Cell Phone
• Distracted driving due to cell phone has become a
dangerous trend on Indian roads and at present this is the
most common among all distractions while driving.
•In some countries like USA, statistics indicate that 28% of
all car accidents are caused by drivers using cell phones.
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5. THE RISK :
• Talking on the mobile can delay our reaction time by
0.5-1.5 seconds and the chances of fatal crashes
increase four to five times more than normal !!
• Driving while using a cell phone can reduce brain
activity by 37%.
• Many believe that using a mobile phone while driving
has the same or even greater risk as that of being drunk
[comparable to .08mg/dl of alcohol].
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6. You may argue that when you are allowed to talk to
your co-passengers or to listen music while driving then
why can’t you attend a call.
Yes, it is true to some extent. Most of the driving you do
is at a subconscious level of brain. The active involvement
of brain is required only when some unusual situation
comes on road. The reaction time of your active brain is so
fast that you hardly notice this. So far as listening to music
or chatting to your co-passengers is concerned, it does
not distract or affect your active brain significantly.
However…
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7. - - - talking on mobile phone or indulging in ‘SERIOUS or
LOGICAL discussions’ with co-passengers certainly
causes greater distraction or reduces reaction time
significantly.
When dialing or talking on mobile or engaging in an
intense conversation with co-passengers you cannot watch
over the surrounding traffic as much is needed.
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8. An increase in the rate of crashes expected with time
because the popularity of mobile phones has grown
enormously [93 crore subscribers up to 31st May 2012]
Today I earned
Rs. 35 Lakhs

9. Texting: The MOST dangerous (23 times riskier) among all
cell phone related tasks, including talking, dialing,
or reading messages on the phone while driving.
• It engages and distracts all three systems i.e. visual[eyes
off the road], manual [fingers on key pad] and the brain.
• Sending or receiving a text takes a driver's eyes off the
road for an average of 4.6 seconds, this means you cross
about 100 meters length of roads blind !!
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10. Hands-free set cell phone also distracts your mind and is
just as dangerous as a hand-held set.
Reason being: Though your hands are free, the
concentration power of brain is affected as it becomes
inattentive during talking. Hands only follow commands of
the brain and if that commander is busy the army will sit
idle during any alarming incidence.
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11. Talking while driving a two
wheeler is equally, if not more
dangerous.
It is dangerous even for pedestrians:
Walking with phones leads to attention deficit, slowing
down of reflexes and make us blind to dangers on the road.
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12. There is a rising concern about many serious health
hazards & warnings in relation to cell phones like brain
cancer, reduced fertility, sleep disorder, anxiety to mobile
ring, etc, etc.
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However….

13. - - - - we have yet to report the FIRST death due
to cell phone induced brain cancer in the world
What we can confirm right now is that - - - - - -
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14. - - - - - approx. 60,000 deaths occur every year
due to cell phone related distracted driving all
over the world [ a very conservative estimate !]
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15. Distraction No. 2 : Dashboard Dining:
With the popularity of fast food, the people are frequently
seen eating or drinking during driving. The fast food
chains are making changes in their menu and its
packaging so that it is better suited for dining while
driving.
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16. Eating while driving not only causes distractions but
can also complicates the condition of a person after
accident by causing choking of respiratory tract due to
aspiration of food particle. This choking due to food items
in mouth can kill someone instantly !!
Not only this, hyperglycemia due to excess calories may
lead to dozing behind the wheel !!
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17. On the other hand, automobile companies are
encouraging dashboard dining by providing modifications
like cup/bottle holders, folding tables or even small
refrigerators. We feel this is a wrong trend and has to be
discouraged.
Are these automobile Co.s aware of these facts??
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18. Distraction No.3: Adjusting Radio, CD Player or GPS:
It is frequently observed that people while driving try to
tune in the radio or look for CDs/cassettes in glove
compartment that divides their attention.
If you are a ‘highly selective type’ of music lover then it is
always better to keep your favourite pieces ready to play
before driving. If you have a co-passenger then instruct
him to do so.

19. Distraction No. 4 : Children
•They may distract driver’s attention by playing or talking
constantly, throwing toys, frequently changing their seats
from front to back or play with the steering or other
important levers.
• Sometimes a ball can move forwards in driver’s seat and
can be trapped under the brakes.
• Children should be taught car manners just as we teach
them table manners.

20. Distraction No. 5 love-making during driving
[Car as a love nest]
• Although no data are available, it is not infrequent to find
love-making during driving as a cause of severe or even
fatal accidents on roads. The moving car has been found a
safe, easy, cozy and economic place for dating or love-
making. In spite of the fact that you are on the road, you
enjoy good privacy in a car, which may be even better
than in a restaurant.

21. The intensity of these moments can certainly
increase the intensity of accidents !
We are not saying that love birds do it intentionally or in a
planned way, sometimes it happens like that.

22. Thanks [really?] to the invention of floor gear in new cars
that has broken the continuity of front seat thereby
keeping the love birds apart.
For the same reason some romantic couples
might miss the single, uninterrupted front seat
of old model cars.

23. Our film producers are also encouraging this trend like
Mr Bhatt who is suggesting many tips to the viewers
See how Bipasha is training John about “How to drive in case you are
blindfolded - - -
Similarly Jacqueline is training
Emraan, “How to hold steering with
legs When some one loses both
upper limbs in road accidents!!

24. We would like to remind our watch dog i.e. Censor
Board that besides alcohol & cigarette, there are much
more dangerous issues like distracted driving which can
INSTANTLY KILL someone.
Of course these days sex is not a big issue in our film
to be monitored ‘seriously’ by Censor Board, however, its
display in a wrong place and with a wrong message is
certainly to be checked.

25. Distraction No.6: Applying Make-up or combing hair, etc
[of course for ladies]
Some even feel an irresistible
desire for make-up and
customize their car accordingly

26. NOW our traffic police is taking this make-up spree
behind the wheel seriously.

27. Distraction No. 7 : A beautiful lady on the road or on
the hoarding may also seriously detract your attention.

28. Distraction No. 8 : Watching TV while driving or reading
including maps
It is difficult to understand how these auto Co.s get
permission for installation of such gadgets like TV on dash
boards !!
Do our road safety organizations have any role or control
over it !

29. Distraction No. 9 : we often see people lighting a
cigarette, belting themselves or co-passengers,
repeatedly glancing at wrist watch, etc during driving.

30. Distraction No. 10 : One peculiar distraction typical in
India only, is bowing before the gods to pay their respects
while passing through the road side temples.

31. What to do for offenders, especially Mb users?
The surprising/funny fact is that 84% of cell phone users
say that they believe using a cell phone while driving is
risky or dangerous, but do it anyway or cant help it.
If you or your business are really dependent on calls
or cannot avoid them while driving, it is preferable to have
a driver. This would also help you to do additional work
besides attending phone calls and the extra earning thus
obtained certainly will cover the salary of your driver.
Besides awareness, the only solution that remains is that
of imposing frequent penalties on offenders, not only for
the benefit of users but more importantly for the benefit
other road users .

32. Please leave multitasking to our politicians as
they are more experienced in doing many ‘serious
jobs’ at a time even in assembly hall !!
Watching
P@#n

33. - - - in the next digest we will discuss some other
‘human errors on roads’ , followed by ‘automobile
and road defects’. After that we will take up the
role of different agencies to control this malady
[like the role of citizens, traffic
authorities, automobile companies, public works
depts., health dept. , the
media, parents, NGOs, etc in this scenario.
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34. You have received this message from the 'Tsunami on Roads
Organization' as a part of an awareness campaign against
road traffic hazards. If you find any merit in this
message, please forward it to your contacts.
From
Conscious Citizens, India
[www.tsunamionroads.org]
• For the previous digests please visit:
http://www.tsunamionroads.org/rtd.html
or http://www.scribd.com or www.slideshare.net
• To receive such digests in future please inform us at:
consciouscitizensindia@gmail.com
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35. In future, besides road accidents, the following topics will also
be discussed on this platform :
• How to decongest our cities
• Vehicle induced environmental pollution
• Arrogance on Roads: Aggressive driving and Road rage
• Public Attitude towards traffic rules in the City
• Problems of pedestrians
• Road traffic and global warming
• The economics of vehicles
• Petroleum Subsidy: Right or Wrong?
• Biography of urban roads in India
• Traffic Policeman: Problems & Challenges
• Drinking & Driving

36. Jai Hind