Around 20 per cent of drivers distracted in local school zones: study

When it comes to distracted driving, it's no longer just cell phones and food tearing motorists' eyes off the road. Now, the hazard could be coming from the car itself.

That's according to researchers at the University of Windsor, who say they found that nearly 20 per cent — or one in five — of local drivers were distracted while travelling through local school zones.

Texting and cell phone use behind the wheel — which is banned in Ontario — was still the most common behaviour the team observed over the past academic year. 

But they also saw drivers distracted by the cars themselves — the large touchscreens and digital displays that have become ubiquitous in modern vehicles.

"We have more and more technology in our cars," said associate professor of kinesiology Francesco Biondi, who led the study. "Just because a touch screen, a voice interaction system comes available in the car, it doesn't mean that it's safe."

Biondi's research also revealed that drivers in larger vehicles, such as pickup trucks and SUVs, were more likely to take part in risky or even illegal activities. Biondi, an expert in human-machine interaction, said he believes it comes down to a "dangerous misconception."

"When you drive a bigger car, you have a sense that if you end up in a crash, the occupants of your car and yourself are likely not the ones to suffer injuries because you're sort of more protected," he said. "As a result of that, there is a sense of sort of enhanced sense of security."

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But larger vehicles can inflict more damage to those around them, whether it be pedestrians, cyclists, or motorists in smaller vehicles, he said. Cars have gotten consistently larger, a phenomenon referred to as "car bloat."

Biondi said the study's findings about the volume of distracted drivers were worrisome in and of themselves, but what was "even more concerning" were the areas in which they "observed all of these distracted drivers."

Teams of three to four observers stationed themselves in seven school zones, "selected in consultation with Windsor Police Service," at drop-off and pickup times, per the study. They observed nearly 5,000 vehicles and found that roughly 20 per cent of drivers exhibited distracting behaviours in the fall. The figure dropped to just over 16 per cent in the winter.

"Handheld texting was the most prominent behaviour across all locations, with approximately 8% of all drivers holding a phone for messaging or similar purposes," says the study, which is under review for journal publication, per the university. "When combining this data with that observed for handheld calling (approximately 1% of all drivers), close to one in every ten drivers was observed conducting behaviours that are punishable under Ontario's comprehensive cellphone ban." 

The list of distracted behaviours the researchers used was wide-ranging. It included lawful behaviours that the researchers argued were a risk to safety, such as using the vehicle's touchscreen, wearing headphones to have a phone conversation, grooming, eating or drinking, smoking, and reaching for objects within the car. 

They also looked for "aggressive behaviours," which included yelling and tailgating, but also honking — which can be used for safety reasons as well. Fewer than 1 per cent of drivers exhibited aggressive behaviour, the study says.

"Distracting and aggressive behaviours were coded only when observers were completely certain," the study notes.

Biondi, who received $25,000 from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada for the project, said his findings align with those of previous studies on the subject. 

"And the most concerning thing is that although there [are] more and more education campaigns, enforcement campaigns, the percentage of drivers [...] who drive distracted doesn't seem really to go down over time," he said. 

The study's conclusions weren't surprising to Michael Stewart, spokesperson for CAA South Central Ontario. His company conducted a survey last year that found that more than 60 per cent of drivers had witnessed a traffic violation or near-collision due to distracted driving.

"It's definitely a serious road safety issue and it's one that's very easily preventable," he said. 

He said the study also asked about in-car touchscreens specifically, finding that Ontario drivers are increasingly using them and consider them a distraction — but don't necessarily want to be rid of them.

"So it's really important that as much as that temptation is there, that you are not interacting with that screen, setting everything up before you drive," he said.

Biondi said it's not all bad, though. Some newer cars have sensors and features that help keep drivers focused and alert. "Technology can also be part of the solution," he said. Car crash-related injuries and deaths have also dropped significantly in the past 20 years.

The data his team collected will now be used by Windsor police as part of its education and enforcement efforts, Biondi said. 

Windsor Police Service said in a statement that it "sees great value in [its] partnership with the University of Windsor to carry out this important study."

"The study's results offer a more detailed lens into behaviours of drivers on our roadways that impact the safety and well-being of everyone and will be helpful in further guiding us in how we will continue to address this important issue," said Barry Horrobin, director of planning and physical resources at WPS.