(BPT) - A two-second glance away from the road doubles your crash risk, yet a new study from State Farm® shows that over 65% of drivers believe it's safe to look away from the road for two seconds or longer. Even more concerning is the fact that reading or sending a quick text takes double that time, at an average of more than 4 seconds. How common are these seconds-long glances away from the road? The study found that 80% of drivers admit to engaging in at least one distracting behavior while driving.
In a recent study of over 1,300 survey participants aged 22-40, State Farm captured drivers' attitudes and behaviors, revealing that nearly half (45%) have experienced a crash or near-miss while engaging in distracting activities behind the wheel.
The hidden danger of "quick" distractions
When reading or sending a text message while driving - which takes an average of 4.6 seconds - drivers travel the equivalent of a football field at 55 miles per hour with their eyes off the road.
"Many drivers underestimate the risk associated with even brief distractions," said Brianne Jones, vice president of Operations, P&C Claims, State Farm. "These findings highlight a critical safety issue for every driver, passenger and pedestrian on and or adjacent to our roadways. Our goal is to raise awareness and encourage focused driving practices to lower accidents and create safer roads."
Most common distracting behaviors
The most common distractions include:
- Navigation and communication: 45% admitted to manually entering location data while driving
- Music management: 44% scroll through playlists or manually search for music while driving
- Texting: 39% read or send text messages while driving
- Phone calls: 34% manually dial cell phones
- App interaction: 28% interact with phone apps while driving
- Email: 21% read or send emails while driving
Stress as a distraction trigger
The survey also identified specific triggers that increase distracted driving behavior. Feeling stressed or busy was linked to overall distraction behind the wheel. When drivers have items on their "to-do" list, 27% become more distracted. Additionally, 17% report that being upset or stressed leads to more dangerous behind-the-wheel behaviors.
Taking action during National Traffic Safety Awareness Month
August marks National Traffic Safety Awareness Month, making this an opportune time for drivers to reassess their habits. State Farm encourages motorists to:
- Put phones in "Do Not Disturb" mode while driving
- Set up navigation and music before starting the vehicle
- Pull over safely if urgent communication is necessary
- Recognize personal stress triggers that lead to distracted behaviors
State Farm also offers an opportunity for customers to save money with good driving through their Drive Safe & Save® program, with auto insurance discounts up to 30%*. State Farm customers are also eligible for a range of other Auto Insurance Discounts that can reward safe drivers and their families.