Few of us are willing to admit our indiscretions behind the wheel, particularly when it comes to sneaking a peek at an incoming text or checking Facebook when traffic slows down. Sure, we all say, I may do it once in awhile, but nothing like these jerks I see all around me on the interstate!

For several years, Despina Stavrinos, Ph.D., director of UAB’s Translational Research for Injury Prevention Laboratory, has been using a detailed driving simulator to study how participants respond to distraction. This past summer, however, she began taking her research on the road using custom-built, smartphone-based driving monitors. The studies are designed to offer particular new insight on the behavior of teens and seniors, the two groups most likely to be involved in motor-vehicle accidents.