You watch video driving: This is a new growing risk

Jackie was going for a medical checkup last fall, when she noticed that her Uber driver didn't pay full attention to the road.

He had an open video on the phone and occasionally watched it,” she showed. Jackie, 32, in New Jersey, didn't exactly understand what the driver was following, but he saw people talking and he thought it was a video podcast.

I felt very worried and anxious,” she said.

During the 40-minute trip on a busy highway, she thought of saying something, but felt insecure.

I was just in the car with someone doing something dangerous. I didn't know how she would react,” she said.

She arrived safely at her destination, but her experience shocked her, and the same thing happened to her just a few hours later.

From Video Messages

Long ago, the use of the phone while driving especially sending messages has been known as “distinguishable”. Slogans like “don't write while driving” are located on highways and almost all American states have laws against it.

But now a new problem is emerging: drivers watching videos on platforms like YouTube or TikTok while running the vehicle.

In California a driver crashed into a parked police car, avoiding an officer for a while. He admitted that he was watching videos and did not see what was happening before him.

Disturbing numbers

According to the latest data, in 2023, 3,275 people lost their lives in accidents related to distractions while over 300,000 were injured.

Researchers say that behavior is getting worse:

“People are increasingly interacting with phones while driving. From messages we've gone to the browser and video vision,” says researcher Charlie Cauer.

Young people are the most endangered group, especially those between 15 and 20 years of age, but the phenomenon is common among people in their 20s.

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Activist Joel Feldman, who lost his daughter in a car crash, says more and more young people admit that “take a quick look at TikTok” while driving.

I didn't hear this five years ago,” he said.

Meanwhile, some drivers do more than watch videos but also create them. In a tragic case, a woman broadcasting “live” from the car crashed to death a footman.

Security illusion

Many drivers put the phone in the hold and think it's safe. But experts warn that this is a wrong idea.

Anything that forces you to take your eyes off the road significantly increases the risk,” says Klauer.

According to “two seconds rule”, if you turn your attention off the road for more than two seconds, the risk of accident doubles.

Laws That Are Unforgetting

Many laws were created before the era of online broadcasting and do not predict this phenomenon. Some countries are already considering stopping video viewing and broadcasting during driving.

Ironically, modern cars themselves are contributing to problems, as most are equipped with touch screens. Studies show that using these systems can affect the driver's response more than alcohol or cannabis.

A Growing Problem

Even in return from the doctor, Jackie again encountered a driver watching video. She complained, and the company promised to stop associating with that driver.

“requires more awareness of this phenomenon,” she said. The fact that happened to me twice indicates that it is a real problem. ”