Staying connected, staying safe at odds on the road

When American drivers slam on the brakes, three out of four times it's because they were daydreaming, fiddling with the radio or chatting on the phone, a survey suggests today. Nearly half of Americans consider talking on the phone and texting the most dangerous distractions while driving, but 81% acknowledge making calls from behind the wheel, according to the survey by Nationwide Mutual Insurance. Most cases of driving while distracted are caused by a need to be constantly connected, says Bill Windsor, Nationwide's associate vice president of safety. "It's our lifestyle and mentality. We're so used to multitasking that we don't recognize it as dangerous anymore." The survey found that, surprisingly, older drivers were more likely than teens to multitask when driving. That could be because older drivers are more focused on juggling responsibilities, says Kathryn Lusby-Treber, formerly the executive director of the Network of Employers for Traffic Safety. "If we're going to be stuck in traffic for an hour and a half, let's see what else we can accomplish," she says. "And because they're more experienced, older drivers feel like they don't have to pay as much attention as teens."
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/life/20080519/d_distracted_drivers1...