Author: Tammy Lane • First Posted: Friday, January 08, 2010

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Statistics show the bulk of teens' car crashes can be traced to driver inattention, and cell phones are a main culprit.

Fumbling with a cell phone while behind the wheel can be a costly judgment error for teenagers, according to the Kentucky Office of Highway Safety.

Using the agency’s distracted-driving simulator, students at Eastside Technical Center could see – in a safe, controlled environment – just how texts and phone calls affect their reaction time.

Robert Bracco, a senior who got his license a couple of months ago, ran up on the curb, swerved across the road and smacked into a trash can while trying to answer a text message.

“I didn’t think it was going to be as difficult as it was,” he said. “Your mind gets taken off the road completely and just goes to your phone. So as soon as something else happens on the road, you don’t even notice.”

State statistics show that 90 percent of crashes involving drivers age 16 to 21 are attributed to inattention, said Shane Ratliff, head of the state’s Young Drivers Program.

“Driving in and of itself is multitasking,” he said. “The human mind can only split so many ways.”

The “D2” simulator, which looks like an advanced arcade race-car game, offers more than 200 driving scenarios. Ratliff can decide whether a teen will navigate a winding country road, congested city streets or interstate traffic. But the software determines when a deer bolts across the highway or a motorcycle pulls out in the driver’s path, and classmates send texts randomly while the teen is at the controls.

Shawna Wiley, a senior at Bryan Station High School who also attends Eastside, called the realistic driving experience “an eye-opener.”

“Every time I looked down, I hit the brake while I was texting,” she said. “A lot of people wreck doing it, so I try to do it at a stoplight.”

Ratliff noted that even a drunk driver pays more attention than someone who is texting.

“When you have to look away, you mind is no longer on the road,” he told the students. “Just having the cell phone in your hand increases your crash risk four times.”

That message hit home with Robert and his classmates.

“It’s going to make me think twice when I pick up my phone,” he said. “It’s really not worth it.”

Fast fact: According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of teenage deaths. In 2008, teen drivers accounted for 8,966 injuries and 138 fatalities on Kentucky roadways. About a third of those fatalities involved driver inattention. 

Classroom resources: To schedule the “D2” simulator demonstration at a school, call the Kentucky Office of Highway Safety at (502) 564-1438.

Video: Coverage from Eastside Tech by WKYT 27 (Choose the 5 p.m. Jan. 5 newscast and advance to the 23:05 mark.)