Stop Distracted Driving

Are you one of the freak users? Do you enjoy multitasking? Do you drive and phone? Do you also drive and read or send text messages? Do you indulge in other forms of distraction? Or are you among the teeming drivers who think it is safe to drive and use your earpiece? Or are you among the few who believe that the advent of the Global Positioning System (GPS) to aid driving must be abused, irrespective of the safety implications or the existing country rules?

Yesterday, I was conscripted by the Federal Road Safety Corps, FCT Command to speak at the Ember Months town hall meeting on this critical subject. The theme was, Take Responsibility for your safety: Stop Distracted driving. In attendance was Dr Nafisat Mohammed, wife of the Corps Marshal, and President, Road Safety Officers Wives Association (ROSOWA). Also in attendance was the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, ably represented, among other dignitaries and stakeholders who graced the occasion and patiently waited till the almost four-hour programme ended.

I have chosen to share with you some information on this subject starting with the position of the World Health Organisation, which identifies distracted driving as a significant threat to road safety. It notes that distraction increases the likelihood of crashes fourfold if you are driving and phoning. For the freaks among us, please hear the world body caution, noting that the cognitive distraction from both hand-held and hands-free devices is the primary danger, not just the physical act of holding a phone. WHO notes that texting is particularly risky and raises the risk of a crash by as much as 23times.

What exactly is distracted driving? Distracted driving is the practice of driving a motor vehicle while engaged in another activity, typically one that involves the use of a mobile phone or other electronic device. It is anything that diverts a driver’s attention from the primary task of driving. According to the American Automobile Association, distracted driving accounts for 25 to 50percent of all accidents

For the record, distractedness is deadly and is a leading cause of crashes, injuries, and deaths. The fact is that reading a text which most people do while driving takes your eyes off the road for an average of five seconds. If you were driving at 55 mph (89km/h, which is a common speed among most drivers even in built-up areas, that speed is enough time for you to travel the length of a football field blindfolded. To demonstrate the risk, we all indulge when we multitask. I called out two volunteers and requested them to jump blindfolded from the high table to the floor, which was a safe distance for anybody to jump with eyes open. Neither of the two accepted the challenge for fear of injuries and possible fractures.

I know you drive distracted. I also know you multitask. But do you know that besides driving and clutching your phone or reading text messages or making and answering calls, there are other common distractions? They include cell phones, which I just cited and which I think are more pronounced, food-eating while driving, or even driving too, the radio, as we often take pleasure in navigating from one radio station to another in search of good music or news. GPS units use has become a menace all in the name of trying to locate our route.

In 2018, the Federal Road Safety Corps leadership and personnel came under the hammer of social media critics who called us all sorts of names; local, archaic, illiterate, and more. Our offence was arresting a female driver in the Federal Capital Territory for driving and using her GPS. The offence was not using it to guide her directions.

No, it was because she was driving with one hand,, which is an offenc,e, and using the other hand to set her G,PS, which was clearly distracted driving. So, if you indulge in doing the same, please, kindly do a detour. Other common distractions include passengers, texting, children, personal grooming, or emotional distress among others

I told you that distraction kills. Let us now look at the various forms or features of distraction. They include visual, manual and cognitive distraction. Visual distraction involves taking your eyes off the road (e.g., looking at a phone), manual: taking your hands off the wheel (e.g., reaching for an item, eating) and lastly cognitive. This involves taking your mind off driving (e.g., being lost in thought, a stressful conversation).

Data on distracted driving is a bit problematic in our climate and in most or all developing countries, as well as the developed.

Statistics on distracted driving fatalities are challenging globally, as reporting methods vary significantly between high-income and low-income countries. In many developing nations, including Nigeria, the underlying cause of a crash (like distraction) is often underreported in favor of general crash statistics. In Nigeria, the leading officially reported factor contributing to road traffic crashes is typically speed violation, which accounted for over 44% of fatal crashes in 2017. However, distraction is often a precursor to speeding or an inability to correct for speed.

Like I said data on distraction is often not explicitly separated and may not reflect the full scope of the problem. There is also the problem of underreporting. Unlike in countries with advanced forensics, distraction (especially cognitive distraction or brief phone use) is difficult for first responders to conclusively prove and report as the primary cause of a crash.

Despite these challenges, distracted driving fatalities from select countries indicate that distracted driving is a challenge. Statistics from the United States reveal that 3,275 deaths were recorded in 2023 while in 2024, approximately 3000 people were killed in distraction-affected crashes. This represents about 8% of all fatal crashes in the U.S according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. (NHTSA).

The actual number is often believed to be higher due to underreporting. The record for Canada indicates that in 2021, distracted driving contributed to an estimated 22.5% of all fatal collisions ,as revealed by Transport Canada) In

Australia, it is estimated to be mthe ain ccontributingfactor in about 16percent of serious casualties ,while in EEurope, distractionplays ra ole in 5-25percent of crashes.

While data for distracted driving in our cclimateis not robust, studies indicate high distracted driving among both the youths aandadult drivers. Distracted driving is significantly underreported in our cclimate.Even the global context is problematic as it is heavily skewed toward data from countries with robust reporting.

The key takeaway from all these (grammer) is that the small percentage reported for Nigeria does not mean distraction is not a major issue. It highlights the need for personal responsibility to fill the gap where official data and enforcement cannot fully capture the threat. Every driver knows whether they are distracted, and the choice to focus is the surest prevention.