Poll finds loose objects, cell phones driving distractions

Attempting to retrieve loose objects in a car is slightly more of a distraction for car drivers than using cell phones, according to a recent poll conducted by www.InsuranceHotline.com.The poll identifies the Top 3 driving distractions as “loose objects in a car” (24%), cell phones (19%), and external distractions (16%).In a research paper, InsuranceHotline.com has identified a number of other driving distractions including eating and drinking, fiddling with the radio/CD player, smoking, reading or writing, grooming, babies, and talking. The company’s poll results were presented during a one-of-a-kind conference in Toronto called The International Conference on Distracted Driving. Organized by the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) and the Traffic Injury Research Foundation (TIRF), the conference is intended to identify rational and effective programs and policies for controlling the problem of distracted driving.Specifically, the conference is discussing* the magnitude of distracted driving its causes and consequences;* what programs and policies can address the problem, and how effective they have been;* a cooperative plan of action to deal with distracted driving; and,* improving communication, understanding, and awareness of the issue.”Driver’s don’t realize the cost of distractions,” Lee Romanov, president of www.InsuranceHotline.com, says. “A bite of pizza, resulting in a fender bender, could triple your insurance rate or more.”In a press release, InsuranceHotline.com cites an example showing the rate for a Toronto driver with a clean record as being $2,080. Just one accident could raise that rate to $8,232, the example shows.In the poll, InsuranceHotline.com asked drivers how much they thought insurance rates varied between companies. “Forty-six per cent said between $100 to $500,” according to the company’s poll results. “One per cent said by over $10,000, which is correct.”