A new study developed by TRL, TNO and Rapp Trans and released by the European Commission on 3 November 2015, tries to provide an answer to the following questions.
- What is the nature and size of the distraction problem in road safety in the EU?
- Which approaches and countermeasures have been used to reduce the road injury burden of distraction?
- Which ‘best practice’ approaches should be used by EU states in their efforts to reduce the road injury burden of distraction (including an assessment of costs and benefits)?
The current estimate for the impact of road user distraction on accidents in the EU is that it is a contributory factor in around 10-30% of road accidents.
Currently, there is a lack of evidence on the impact of technological developments on drivers’ distraction. Some devices may contribute to distractions, while some others may have the opposite effect.
Among the most promising technologies to tackle distration and tackle inattention stand: voice recognition, biometry, head up displays, artificial intelligence, and vehicle automation. Standardised HMI design (for technologies) should also be an important component of an EU-wide approach to distraction.
