Stop Daydreaming, Warns Distracted Driving Study

A new study says you are five times more likely to be involved in a fatal crash because you were daydreaming or "lost in thought" than if you were distracted by the use of some electronic device, according to new research by the Erie Insurance Group.

The study focused on the 65,000 fatal accidents that occurred in the U.S. over the last two years, identifying 10 percent as the result of some form of distracted driving – in line with federal and other insurance industry estimates.

But what the research found next came as a big surprise. It identified 62 percent of the crashes as the result of simply being "lost in thought." That might mean failing to recognize a dangerous curve in the road, running into the back of another vehicle, surging through a red light, or some other driver error. By comparison, only 12 percent of fatal accidents covered by the data were blamed on some form of mobile phone use.

Other forms of distractions included:

Rubbernecking, 7 percent
Kids or other vehicle occupants, 5 percent
Reaching for an object elsewhere in the car, 2 percent
Eating or drinking, 2 percent

While Erie might find plenty of other distractions that can lead to fatal crashes, it continued to emphasize the need for a driver to pull over to send texts, and to avoid using cellphones while driving. Recent studies support the concern that this has become a serious problem. Last November a State Farm study found nearly half of drivers under 29 use the Internet at least once a month while behind the wheel.

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