Study and prevention of the driver distraction and inattention

There is growing evidence about the riskiness of driver distraction and inattention for traffic safety. The present study is a review of the literature about inattention and distraction while driving. First, the review shows the difficulties and controversies arisen in the definition of both constructs. Second, the paper describes different methodological approaches used in the driver distraction research. Third, there is a description of prevention strategies for mitigating and avoiding the consequences of driver distraction and inattention. It is concluded that research on driver distraction and inattention faces difficulties regarding the lack of common definitions of basic constructs, the lack of a unified theoretic frame, and the presence of methodological differences. These limitations mirror problems faced in the main discipline, Traffic Psychology.