New driver poll highlights the challenge of managing distraction behind the wheel
AutoSense says technology, driver education and ongoing risk management must work together to help fleets manage distraction
57% of respondents identified at least one screen, device or vehicle-control interaction as something that commonly pulls their attention from the road
30% are distracted by adjusting temperature, music or other vehicle controls, while 25% nominate checking navigation or maps on a screen
92% of respondents with a vehicle touchscreen have felt distracted while using it
Just 6% say touchscreens are the easiest vehicle controls to use while driving, compared with 50% who prefer physical knobs and buttons
A new poll of 725 drivers across Australia and New Zealand has highlighted the range of everyday activities competing for drivers' attention, prompting fleet and driver safety provider AutoSense to urge businesses to take a broader approach to managing distraction risk.
The AutoSense poll found more than half (57%) of respondents identified at least one screen, device or vehicle-control interaction as something that commonly pulls their attention away from the road.
This included adjusting temperature, music or other vehicle controls (30%), checking navigation or maps on a screen (25%), looking at an in-car touchscreen or display (19%), notifications, texts or work alerts (12%) and hands-free mobile phone calls (11%).
The findings also point to the potential for technology built into modern vehicles to compete for drivers' attention. Among respondents who drive a vehicle with a touchscreen, 92% said they had felt distracted while using it at least once, including 19% who said this occurred frequently.
AutoSense Australia CEO Charles Dawson said the findings reinforce the importance of managing distraction as a broader fleet risk rather than focusing on individual behaviours or technologies in isolation.
“There's no such thing as a good distraction when you're behind the wheel. Whether you're responding to a work alert, looking at navigation, adjusting something in the vehicle or reaching for a drink, if you are diverting your attention to anything else in the cabin, you are not concentrating on the task of driving,” Dawson said.
“For businesses, having the right technology in vehicles is important; but you also need to understand what's happening on the road, why it's happening and then use that insight to educate and support drivers and improve the way risk is managed.”
Dawson said even tasks that appear routine or necessary can become distracting if they are not well managed. He said he had experienced this first-hand while driving with Guardian by Seeing Machines, the driver monitoring technology AutoSense provides to fleets across Australia and New Zealand.
“I was driving in poor weather with adaptive cruise control engaged and felt I was too close to the vehicle ahead. While I was trying to find the steering-wheel control to increase the following distance, Guardian detected that my attention had shifted,” Dawson said.
“The technology I was trying to adjust was designed to support me, but in that moment, finding the control was taking my attention away from the road. Distraction isn't always deliberate or reckless behaviour.”
Seeing where driver attention really goes
The latest Generation 3 Guardian driver monitoring system uses camera-based technology to detect signs of fatigue and distraction and alert drivers in real time.
Its attention sharing detection capability identifies when a driver repeatedly divides their attention between the road and another task. Guardian sounds an in-cab alert when a driver looks away from the road for a cumulative 10 seconds within a rolling 30-second period. If the driver returns their gaze to the road for more than two seconds, the timer resets. Attention sharing events are also recorded and can be reviewed by the driver's company.
Dawson said greater visibility gives fleet operators an opportunity to understand patterns of behaviour and intervene before they contribute to an incident.
“The important question is: where is the driver's attention? If it's being shared between driving and something else, we need to understand why and what can be done to reduce that risk.
“Technology gives fleets visibility they simply haven't had before, but the value comes from what you do with that information. Data needs to translate into driver education, coaching, safer practices and, where necessary, changes to the way work is designed.”
Former professional racing driver and AutoSense ambassador and road safety advocate, Greg Murphy, said technology should never take priority over the driving task.
“We all know what responsible driving looks like, but that doesn't mean we practise it perfectly every minute we're behind the wheel,” Murphy said.
“It doesn't matter whether the technology you're interacting with is there for work, convenience or safety, it should only ever be used when it's safe to do so. Driving has to remain the priority.
“That's where good training, good systems and technology such as Guardian can work together. It's about helping drivers recognise risk and reinforcing safe driving habits, rather than waiting until something goes wrong.”
Dawson said the poll should encourage businesses with employees who drive to look beyond whether fleet safety policies exist and consider how effectively risks are being identified and managed in real-world conditions.
“A policy can tell a driver not to be distracted, but it can't tell a fleet manager what is actually happening in the cab,” Dawson said.
“Managing distraction has to be an ongoing part of how a business manages risk. That means creating an environment where drivers are supported to make safer decisions, rather than waiting until an incident occurs to take action.”
