While much attention is paid to teens and their propensity to engage in distracted driving, it seems adults — specifically parents with young children — are just as guilty of the risky behavior, according to a new study from the University of Michigan.
Researchers surveyed more than 600 parents while their children were being treated at one of two Michigan emergency rooms (the reason they were there did not necessarily have to do with a car accident). They were asked how often they engaged in distracted driving behaviors while their child was in the car over the past month. These behaviors included 10 activities such as talking on the phone (hands-free or handheld), texting/surfing the Internet, self-care (grooming, eating), child care (picking up a toy, feeding their child, etc.), getting directions (using a navigation system, map) and changing a CD or DVD.
The parents also were surveyed on whether they typically use a seatbelt, what type of restraint their child uses and their motivation to use the recommended restraint for their child’s size.
The results showed that almost 90% of those surveyed admitted to at least one technology-based distracted driving action over the past month and most parents reported engaging in four of the 10 distractions that were asked about.
Other findings from the study included:
– Drivers of children who were not restrained in an age-appropriate restraint based on Michigan law had 2.5 times higher odds of reporting a child-related distraction than drivers of children who were properly restrained.
– Parents who reported always wearing a seat belt were much more likely to use an age-appropriate restraint for their child.
– Parents of minority race/ethnicity were much less likely to use the age-appropriate restraint compared with white parents, even after controlling for education, income, child age, motivation to use a safety seat and personal seat belt use.
Most importantly and most concerning, though, the results showed that the parents who reported engaging in distracting behaviors were more likely to report having ever been in a crash.
“Our research has identified some high-impact areas to improve child passenger safety,” said Dr. Michelle L. Macy, lead author of the study. “Distracted driving while children are in the car is common, and many children are not using the right safety seat for their size.”
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Insure.com recently released results of a study that evaluated passenger safety in more than 750 vehicles. The study analyzed insurance rates for Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and Medical Payments (MedPay) – coverage that pays for injuries to your passengers in a crash. Simply put: The lower the rates, the safer the car for passengers.
Though the study doesn’t get into the nitty-gritty details about what makes some of the cars perform badly, all in all, the results showed that bigger is better when it comes to this type of safety.
“It’s not just the size, but also that there’s more room between the occupants and what they will interact with,” said Pete Leiss, head of crash practice at Lancaster, Pa.-based Robson Forensic.
Though small cars often perform well in crash tests, Insure.com said, sheer size of your car will ultimately go further in protecting your passengers. Click on through to see which vehicles are the best for passenger safety, and which are the worst.
Sticker Price: $46,335 – $65,680
Invoice Price: $43,092 – $61,082
Fuel Economy: 16 mpg City, 23 mpg Highway
Completely redesigned for the 2015 model year, theGMC Yukon can seat a lot of people both comfortably and safely. Safety features standard on all Yukons include four-wheel anti-lock brakes, StabiliTrak stability control system with rollover mitigation, seven airbags, including a new center mounted front airbag, tire pressure monitoring system, rear vision camera and OnStar with Automatic Crash Response.
The Yukon isn’t cheap, but you get a lot for your money, including all kinds of comfort and tech features.
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Sticker Price: $30,035 – $47,520
Invoice Price: $27,707 – $43,837
Fuel Economy: NA
The big, burlyF-250 is one of Ford’s heavy-duty truck offerings. It boasts loads of torque and a high towing capacity, as well as numerous safety features that help to keep passengers safe.
In addition to its large size, the F-250 works to ensure its occupants safety with traction control and electronic stability control, a hill launch assist feature and side curtain airbags. Available safety features include a reverse camera system and stolen vehicle tracking system.
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Sticker Price: $49,600 – $146,000Invoice Price: NAFuel Economy: 15 mpg City, 22 mpg Highway
Legendary Porsche driving prowess comes in SUV form with theCayenne. In addition to great driving dynamics and luxury, the Cayenne also benefits from having a wide range of safety features, including Porsche Stability Management (PSM), Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) and Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control (PDCC).Research the Porsche CayennePorsche Cayenne OverviewPorsche Cayenne Photos & VideoPorsche Cayenne Local Dealer Price Quote
Sticker Price: $31,565 – $53,740Invoice Price: $29,671 – $49,978Fuel Economy: NA
The big, burlySierra 2500 is available in a wide array of bed sizes, wheelbases, drive types and cab sizes, as well as a variety of trim levels. Stability control, hill start assist and a trailer sway control system are standard on the Sierra 2500 and its large size and sturdy construction make it very safe for passengers.
The Sierra is more expensive than the Chevrolet Silverado, which is a very similar truck, but it comes with a nicer interior and more features.Research the GMC Sierra 2500GMC Sierra 2500 OverviewGMC Sierra 2500 Photos & VideoGMC Sierra 2500 Local Dealer Price Quote
Sticker Price: $31,940 – $50,730
Invoice Price: $29,464 – $46,798
Fuel Economy: NA
The F-350, which is another Heavy Duty offering from Ford, topped the list as the safest cars for passengers, according to Insure.com. Its massive size is obviously an asset when it comes to safety, but the truck also comes numerous standard safety features (most of which can also be found on the F-250) such as traction control, electronic stability control, a hill launch assist feature and side curtain airbags.
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Sticker Price: $11,990 – $16,890
Invoice Price: $11,703 – $16,465
Fuel Economy: 27 mpg City, 36 mpg Highway
In general, we’ve been pretty pleased with what we’ve seen from Nissan’s offering in the small sedan segment. TheVersa was recently redesigned with new styling and a new interior. Passenger safety, however, is not this car’s forte, according to Insure.com.
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Sticker Price: $17,195 – $28,395
Invoice Price: $16,469 – $27,196
Fuel Economy: 25 mpg City, 34 mpg Highway
TheMitsubishi Lancer has hung around for quite some time now, in spite of slow sales and low name recognition. The car can be had in a couple of exciting trims and engine configurations, such as the Ralliart and Evolution, but it’s still at the bottom of the totem pole in this segment. Passenger safety is just one issue with this car.
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Sticker Price: $16,800 – $21,300
Invoice Price: $15,876 – $19,722
Fuel Economy: 28 mpg City, 37 mpg Highway
Toyota’s recent redesign of theCorolla helped its looks and its interior, but didn’t do much for passenger safety. This small sedan is the third-worst on Insure.com’s list, which is the exact same position the previous-generation Corolla was in last year.
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MSRP: $16,195 – $22,195Invoice: $15,801 – $21,381Fuel Economy: 31 mpg City, 40 mpg Highway
The second-worst car for passenger safety, according to the study, is theFiat 500. The little Italian hatchback boasts bold styling and great fuel economy, but passenger safety is a concern across all trim levels.
Occupants are protected by seven airbags, active front head restraints, electronic stability and traction control and a tire pressure monitoring system, but the reality is that this teeny car is going to lose almost every time it’s in a collision.Research the Fiat 500Fiat 500 OverviewFiat 500 Photos & VideoFiat 500 Local Dealer Price Quote
Sticker Price: $14,430 – $16,540
Invoice Price: $13,853 – $15,877
Fuel Economy: 30 mpg City, 37 mpg Highway
Toyota’s small hatchback is this year’s worst car for passenger safety, according to the study. TheYaris comes with safety features like anti-lock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution and brake assist, electronic stability and traction control, whiplash-lessening front seats, front seatbelt pretensioners and nine airbags. But the reality is this is a small, cramped car, much like the Fiat 500, making it a fundamentally more dangerous place to be a passenger.
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