Inattentive driving dangers - Minimize distractions while behind the wheel to avoid accidents Published Oct. 28, 2010 By Airman 1st Class Andelson Tocong 90th Logistics Readiness Squadron F. E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyo. -- When vehicle mishaps or accidents come to mind, people almost always point the blame to "the other guy." What individuals as vehicle maintainers, but more importantly as Air Force Global Strike Command members know the susceptibility to the dangers associated with driving both on and off duty. Inattentive driving is the failure to pay proper attention to the road while driving. According to the Mid-American Regional Council, crashes due to driver inattention or distraction are on the rise in the United States. They are taking more lives and injuring more people than ever before. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates 25 percent of all police-reported crashes involve some form of driver inattention. Today, some of the biggest distractions include radios, using cell phones, driving while fatigued and eating fast food. Inattentive driving and penalties are governed by state laws, but all military members need to be aware of the dangers. Also according to the Mid-American Regional Council, more than 70 years ago, lawmakers pondered whether radios should be allowed in cars. At that time, some states banned them while others decided radios were tolerable as long as they were turned off while driving. Today's auto sound systems can literally blow out the vehicles windows. While this may be acceptable for tailgating or cruising, when driving in heavy traffic or unfamiliar areas, seconds are lost due to the driver's inability to hear their surroundings and concentrate on the road. Rolling through stop signs is also a problem. When coming across an intersection with stop signs, there is a calm and safe atmosphere that pervades that intersection until a car races through without stopping. The Fatality Analysis Reporting System recorded 13,627 cars involved in lethal auto accidents that could have been averted by stopping as the sign directed. Phones with capabilities such as texting, surfing the internet, playing movies and a slew of other applications steal the driver's attention. Younger Airmen might argue that multitasking is a generational phenomenon. But, they neglect the fact that multitasking lessens the awareness to each individual task. Joshua Rubenstein, Ph.D. and his colleagues David Meyer, Ph.D., and Jeffrey Evans, Ph.D. conducted a study and found that precious time was lost in switching between tasks. The amount of concentration needed to operate a vehicle diminishes even with a hands-free setup when caught up in a serious or emotionally implicated conversation. If it is totally necessary to use the phone, then 30 to 60 seconds on the side of the road should suffice. Lack of sleep or fatigue while driving can seem like a lurking stalker, but it is an avoidable mishap; so get off the road and sleep. Air Force policy recommends that Airmen should not drive for more than eight hours in one day. A good night's sleep can keep you sharp and avoid "micro naps" that can result a driver colliding with responsible drivers who were smart enough to get the rest they need. Although there are numerous fast food restaurants at every road stop, eating a burger while motoring is not a good idea. Reaching for a fry or trying to catch your super size drink before it spills can cause you to veer into another lane or miss seeing something enter your traffic zone. It is better to eat at the rest area than have a drink spilled in your new ride and possibly crashing into another driver. Above all, drivers should always try to minimize distractions while driving, which is especially true of self-initiated distractions. Inattentive driving can lead to any number of dangerous situations resulting in varying amounts of damage or injury to everyone on the road. Blame should not be given to those who issue tickets and citations. Rather, individuals should heighten their awareness and increase their focus on driving to improve safety for everyone on the road. (Editor's note: This article, while based on facts, has opinion-based undertones as seen from the subject-matter experts. Contact the 90th Logistics Readiness Squadron if there are questions, concerns or comments about the content of this article.)