Arguing while behind the wheel is not an obvious choice in the common list of road distractions. Even so, this hazard is not something to be overlooked. When Halford’s recently did a study on arguments while driving, the U.K.-based automotive group discovered that they happen frequently when the driver refuses to ask for directions. Eighty-five percent of women admitted to fueling that fire, as did 65 percent of men.
Another finding was that arguments in the car otherwise often stemmed from actions within the vehicle, including children getting antsy or poor navigational skills. Some arguments, however, were found to represent a continuation from issues at home.
Whether technology or an argument is getting in the way of safety on the road, insurers and policyholders must think about possible distractions and the very serious consequences associated with them. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 20 percent of automobile crashes in 2009 were distraction-related. The NHTSA defines a distraction as “anything that leads hands, eyes, or mind from their main purpose, which is focusing on the road.”
In 2009, the U.S. Department of Transportation held its first distracted driving summit, and that same year President Obama signed an executive order banning all employees from texting while driving (TWD).
“This order sends a clear signal to the American public that distracted driving is dangerous and unacceptable,” Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said at the time Obama signed the order. “It shows that the federal government is leading by example.”
The federal government, in fact, did just that. According to the Governers Highway Safety Association, as of this month, 31 states—as well as the District of Columbia and Guam— have enacted bans on TWD. An additional nine states have laws to prevent novice drivers in particular from TWD.
