Danger! Drowsy, distracted drivers

Eight out of 10 crashes involve drivers who are drowsy, chatting on a cell phone, applying makeup or otherwise distracted from the road ahead, according to a government study released Thursday that videotaped people behind the wheel.

Reviewing thousands of hours of video and data from sensor monitors linked to more than 200 drivers, researchers found that a wide range of distractions can lead to crashes or near-crashes.

Reaching for a moving object while driving increased the risk of a crash by nine times, while reading or applying makeup from behind the wheel enhanced the risk by three times. Dialing a cell phone, meanwhile, increased the risk of a crash by nearly three times, researchers found.

The study "illustrates the potentially dire consequences that can occur while driving distracted or drowsy. It's crucial that drivers always be alert when on the road," said Jacqueline Glassman, acting administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The administration and the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute performed the study. Utah safety professionals said that while the sample size was small, it did illustrate that distracted and drowsy driving are significant issues.

About 10 percent of Utah fatalities are clearly caused by drowsy driving, said Robert Hull, director of traffic and safety and the Utah Department of Transportation. But because of inconsistent reporting standards, the actual number could be anywhere between 10 to 50 percent, Hull said.

UDOT is currently running a campaign to reduce all fatalities on Utah roads. The "Zero Fatalities" campaign looks at several types of behaviors, including drunken, drowsy and distracted driving. The Department of Public Safety just ended a campaign to reduce drowsy driving, which included the slogan: "Don't be a Bob."

"One of the last signs that you're falling asleep at the wheel is when you start feeling your head bob," said Kristy Rigby, program manager for the DPS highway safety office. "If you've got bobs, pull over and get some sleep."

With the national study, the project helped show what happens in the fractions of a second before a crash or near miss. Researchers said it showed the first links between crash risks and popular multi-tasking activities — from eating and talking to receiving e-mail in the driver's seat.

"All of these activities are much more dangerous than we thought before," said Dr. Charlie Klauer, a senior research associate at the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute.