Trends in distracted driving in Canada
Author(s): Robertson, Vanlaar, Brown, Woods-Fry, Lyon
Slidedeck Presentation:
Abstract:
Background:
Distraction was a factor in 25% of fatal crashes in 2015, and public concern about distracted driving has increased dramatically over time. These troubling trends have made distracted driving a top road safety priority for governments and organizations across Canada.
Aims:
To use TIRF’s National Fatality Database and TIRF’s Road Safety Monitor to determine the latest trends in distracted driving.
Methods:
TIRF’s National Fatality Database, a unique source of data based upon both coroners/medical examiners data and police-reported collision data, was used to examine fatally injured drivers from 2000 to 2016 in terms of 1) trends in the role of driver distraction among fatally injured victims, 2) characteristics of fatally injured distracted drivers, 3) characteristics of distraction-related crashes by time of day, day of week, season, and the number of vehicle occupants. TIRF’s online public opinion survey, the Road Safety Monitor (RSM), asks a random, representative sample of Canadian drivers about key road safety issues. It was used to measure trends in attitudes and self-reported behaviours on distracted driving in terms of 1) concern about distracted driving, 2) perceived danger of distracted driving, 3) frequency of distracted driving.
Results:
Although the absolute number of distraction-related fatalities among all road fatalities has fluctuated, the percentage of fatalities in which distraction was a contributing factor remains substantial at 23.5%, down slightly from 2015 where one-quarter of fatalities was distraction-related. Results demonstrate that in 2016, there were 167 distraction-related fatalities resulting from the surviving driver being distracted, compared to 108 distraction related fatalities in which the fatally injured driver was distracted. Fatally injured distracted drivers were more likely to be female rather than male (17.3% and 13.2% respectively) and drivers aged 16-19 had the largest percentage of fatally injured distracted drivers (18.5%). Characteristics of distracted driving collisions by time-of-day and day-of-week show that the largest percentage of distraction-related fatalities occurred between 3:00 and 5:59 pm (29.1%), and over one-quarter of distracted driving collisions occurred on Wednesday (25.9%). Self-reported distracted driving data show that concern rose from 33% in 2004 to 76% in 2018. However, significantly more Canadians reported talking on their hands-free phone while driving, increasing from 21.7% in 2010 to 36.5% in 2018. There was little difference in the percentage of Canadians that reported talking on their handheld phone while driving. Most concerning was the significant increase in drivers that report texting while driving, from 4.8% in 2010 to 7.5% in 2018. Age was a significant predictor in the likelihood of driving while distracted. For every 10-year increase in age, drivers were 47% less likely to text, 46% less likely to use a handheld phone, and 22% less likely to use a hands-free phone. The impact of sex on driver behaviour was significant for the use of a hands-free phone, as females were 33% less likely to self-report this behaviour.
Discussion:
Distracted driving collisions exhibit specific patterns that differ from other types of collisions.
Conclusions:
Distracted driving collisions require enforcement activities and education initiatives that are tailored to the target audience based on these patterns.