According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 17% of police-reported crashes in 2010 involved distracted driving. The U.S. Department of Transportation recently announced proposed NHTSA guidelines for auto manufacturers to encourage limiting the distraction risk of in-vehicle electronic devices in certain vehicles. The proposed guidelines are nonbinding and voluntary, but would provide manufacturers with recommended criteria for electronic devices requiring a driver’s visual or manual operation that are unnecessary for safe vehicle operation. This includes communications, navigation, or entertainment devices. The proposed guidelines include recommendations to (1) reduce device complexity and task length; (2) limit device operation to one hand; (3) limit the number of required manual inputs; and (4) limit off-road glances to no more than two seconds, among other things.
These guidelines are the first in a series of guidance documents NHTSA intends to issue addressing driver distraction. It is holding public hearings and accepting public comment on the guidelines.
