New Survey Yields Extreme Examples of Dangerous and Distracted Driving

WASHINGTON, July 23, 2007; Everyone's heard of people doing outrageous things while driving, but can you top these? A new survey by the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) asking participants to describe examples of distracted driving they have witnessed has yielded some extreme results.

Along with numerous entries of people talking on cell phones and eating while driving, people witnessed some even more outrageous examples such as changing clothes while driving, and using a laptop.

One respondent recounts witnessing a driver talking on a Bluetooth headset, putting on makeup, eating a fast-food breakfast and looking at a piece of paper in the seat next to her while driving. The respondent indicated that occasionally the driver did not have any hands on the wheel and was perhaps steering with her knees. While another respondent recalls witnessing a doctor looking at one of his patient's x-rays while he was driving, which means he was not paying adequate attention needed when driving.

"These examples, along with hundreds of others we all see on a regular basis, highlight how important of an issue distracted driving really is," said Bill Heenan, president of the Steel Recycling Institute (SRI). "The steel safety cage in a car is the last line of defense for vehicle occupants in the event of a crash, but we as an industry advocate safe, non-aggressive driving and an extra dose of common sense to avoid a crash from even occurring. Everyday we are hearing about more and more accidents caused by distracted driving, so it's time that this issue becomes front and center in our everyday conversations."

The survey was carried out as a part of a summer safety campaign being conducted by AISI.

The campaign is focused on educating consumers about the safety benefits of steel and providing safety tips for consumers related to automotive safety, fire safety and emergency preparedness. These important safety tips, including tips on how to avoid distracted driving, can be found online at http://www.steel.org/.

It is estimated that nearly 80 percent of crashes and 65 percent of near- crashes involved some form of driver inattention or distracting activities within three seconds before the event, according to a report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). In addition, the American Automobile Association (AAA) approximates that between 4,000 and 8,000 crashes related to distracted driving occur daily in the United States.

"It is important for drivers to be aware of the consequences that come with being distracted behind the wheel," said Heenan. "It only takes a second of being distracted for an accident to occur."

AISI serves as the voice of the North American steel industry in the public policy arena and advances the case for steel in the marketplace as the preferred material of choice. AISI also plays a lead role in the development and application of new steels and steelmaking technology. AISI is comprised of 31 member companies, including integrated and electric furnace steelmakers, and 130 associate and affiliate members who are suppliers to or customers of the steel industry. AISI's member companies represent more than 75 percent of both U.S. and North American steel capacity. For more news about steel and its applications, view AISI's Web site at http://www.steel.org/.

                     Tips to Avoid Distracted Driving

  1.  Ask passengers to keep conversation to a minimum and help you
      navigate.
  2.  Deal with potential distractions before you hit the road, such as
      eating, putting on make-up, combing your hair, reading and checking
      messages.
  3.  Be well rested before getting behind the wheel.
  4.  Make sure you have clear directions and double-check the map before
      you leave.
  5.  Familiarize yourself with your dashboard controls before you go. Make
      sure your seat, headrest, seatbelt, rearview mirror, temperature
      controls, radio, etc., are adjusted to your liking.
  6.  Manage your music ahead of time. Pre-program your car radio, and
      adjust your channels, CDs or iPOD only when the car is stopped.
  7.  Pull over somewhere safe if you need to make an urgent call, check a
      message, deal with the kids, eat or drink, etc.
  8.  Change your cell phone voicemail message to let callers know that you
      may be driving and you will call them back later.
  9.  Tell everyone that for safety reasons, you no longer take calls while
      driving. If you call someone and find out that they are driving, let
      them go and call them later.
  10. Turn off your cell phone and PDA when you get into your car. Lock it
      in the trunk if it helps!

  -- Loyola University Health System and Insurance Bureau of Canada