Drivers are easily distracted, finds research

People don't look where they're going

By PH Staff / Tuesday, 22 November 2005 / Loading comments

No distractions

Guess what? Almost half of the UK's drivers aren't looking where they're going, putting themselves and others at risk as they struggle to keep their eyes on the road. So far, so obvious.

According to research by Privilege Insurance, one in five drivers in the UK have become so distracted by roadside objects that they have veered out of lane. Roadside objects such as billboards, flashing signs and Christmas decorations cause a third of motorists to lose concentration while behind the wheel. 41 per cent of these drivers confess to being distracted for up to five seconds -- which equates to driving 15 car lengths at 30mph -- two and a half times the stopping distance needed at this speed.

Dr Mark Young, transport ergonomics expert at Brunel University, said: "While we currently know a lot more about in-vehicle distractions such as mobile phones than external distractors, there is a growing body of concern about the lack of any coherent strategy for arranging roadside furniture.

"Drivers' visual workload varies through the course of a journey, and at crucial times - negotiating a difficult roundabout, for example, there is a small but significant risk of distraction from novel stimuli like advertising. In fact, this risk is probably underestimated and we need to do more research on the possibility of excluding non-essential information when the driver is already busy dealing with the road."

Tips from Privilege to help drivers focus on the road include:

Take notice only of official signs and notices that are crucial for driving

When stationary keep your gaze on the traffic in front -- or any road signals [though a sharp eye in the rear-view mirror is also advisable. Ed].