Study reveals new moms are distracted drivers
Baby in car seat while his mom is driving. Credit: Fotolia
The National Safety Council named April Distracted Driving Awareness Month, so moms, listen up: 10 percent of new mothers have had an accident with a baby in the car, which is about three times the average for all drivers, according to a new study.
New moms struggle with a world of disruptions while on the road, from fatigue to nonstop crying from the backseat. The "American Baby" and Safe Kids Worldwide survey found that 63 percent of the roughly 2,400 new moms polled considered themselves to be more cautious behind the wheel, but the actual results of the polled questions revealed that the level of distraction new moms face is comparable to that of a teen or newly licensed driver.
Here are some more interesting facts from the "American Baby" survey:
* Two-third of moms find it difficult to concentrate on a single task since having kids.
* 78 percent of moms talk on the phone while driving with baby. (You're four times more likely to have an accident when you're driving while on your phone.)
* New moms drive on less sleep than truck drivers (5 hours and 20 minutes versus 6 hours and 50 minutes).
* Eight percent of moms have left their babies alone in the car.
* Six out of 10 moms haven't had their car seat checked by a child-passenger-safety technician.
