Driving requires constant information and intense concentration so that drivers can react quickly and make the right decisions. However, drivers' attention is occasionally diverted to other tasks, reducing their ability to detect traffic events and react to incidents.
In 2024, driver inattention (distractions such as using a mobile phone or other technological devices) was found to be a factor in 24% of accidents involving personal injury, costing 419 lives in France. There are several types of distractions (visual, manual, cognitive or auditory) originating from sources inside or outside the vehicle. Inattention can also manifest itself in the form of mind wandering, i.e. when the driver is absorbed in their thoughts.
This risk is even greater for novice drivers, whose attentional resources are more limited, as managing the controls and the vehicle requires greater concentration. This lack of attention can be particularly problematic in unfamiliar or complex driving situations.
Studies show that inattention is a factor (depending on how broadly the concept of distracted attention is defined) in 25 to 50% of accidents involving personal injury. According to a multifactorial analysis of accident causes (ASFA), inattention is a factor in 15% of fatal accidents on motorways in 2023, and remains more significant during commutes between home and work. According to the World Health Organisation, using a mobile phone while driving quadruples the risk of an accident.
According to the Ifsttar-Inserm collective expert report, talking on the phone triples the risk of a material or physical accident, and nearly one in ten physical road accidents is linked to using a phone while driving. It should be added that the risk is similar whether using a hands-free kit or not, due to the cognitive component of distraction.
