Distracted driving is one of the leading causes of car accidents and resulting fatalities on roadways around the United States. In fact, distracted driving causes thousands of deaths each year, with roughly 3,300 in just the states alone. Adjusting the radio, eating, texting, and other types of distracted driving can all have disastrous consequences when you are driving. Learn the most common distractions you may face on the road so that you can start to develop an understanding of the variety of tips you need to stay focused and safe.
What Is Distracted Driving?
Distracted driving is simply any activity that takes your attention away from the road. There are three main types of distracted driving you may partake in: visual, manual, and cognitive.
Visual distractions are those which cause you to take your eyes off the road. Some common examples of this type include checking your phone, talking to a passenger, or reading a map. Manual distractions, on the other hand, are characterized by taking your hands off the wheel to handle activities such as adjusting your controls, eating food, or generally reaching for things.
The third and less commonly discussed type of distracted driving is cognitive distracted driving. This is just when you take your mind off of driving in general. Whether you’re thinking about work, having an in-depth conversation with a passenger, or just daydreaming about nothing in particular, pulling your focus away is dangerous.
All three forms of distracted driving lead to poor decision-making, impaired reaction times, and, ultimately, accidents or possibly fatalities. Rather than putting yourself in a position where an accident may occur, consider the following tips to keep yourself safe:
1. Set Up Your Car Before You Drive
To avoid any distractions, one of the best tips to remember is to prepare everything in your vehicle ahead of time. Instead of fidgeting with your GPS and trying to figure out where you’re going when you’re already on the road, for instance, do it before you start your car.
Similarly, make sure to adjust your mirrors before you start driving. This not only minimizes distractions on the road but also allows you to see your surroundings better. Take it a step further too by making sure to set the climate in your car, your seat, and even create music playlists ahead of time so you don’t have to fumble with the radio or your phone while driving.
2. Manage Your Phone Use
As alluded to above, texting while driving is a danger. It can increase the risk of crashing by up to 23 times which means that keeping your phone out of the way while you drive is essential. Calling, texting, and even quickly browsing all take your mind, hands, and eyes off the road.
Ideally, you should block all incoming notifications on your phone while driving, but if this isn’t possible for some reason then consider using your phone’s voice assistant for hands-free navigation and communication.
Many apps can also be installed to prevent you from using your phone while driving however, if you do have you use your phone for emergencies, always pull over to a designated area. Make sure that you’re safe before starting any communication because your attention needs to be on the road, rather than your phone.
3. Avoid Eating and Drinking While Behind the Wheel
Although you might be tempted to eat while on the road to work, the gym, a friend’s house, or somewhere else, eating and drinking while driving significantly reduce the amount of attention you have to give to the road. Even actions as simple as unwrapping snacks, holding a coffee cup, or dealing with any types of spills or messes you make while driving are all examples of things that take your attention from the road.
Your best bet is to simply eat and drink before or after driving. You should not be multitasking while driving whatsoever so if you do have to drink or eat, your best bet is to simply pull over. Any and all snacks or meals should be prepared before you hit the road.
4. Keep Any Passengers and Pets in Check
Although driving with your friends and family can be fun, it can also be dangerous, which is especially true if those people are not properly behaving themselves. This is also the case for your pets. If you have to handle pets, manage kids, or are just having distracting conversations with your passengers, your focus will inevitably be diverted.
This means you need to tell your passengers the importance of not distracting you while driving while also making sure they always remain calm. This is fine for adults, but if you have children in the car then make sure that they know the importance of staying seated and quiet during your drive, as this helps to minimize the risk of any incidents occurring.
Finally, for any pets you have in the car, make sure that they are in a crate or otherwise secured so that they don’t cause any distractions.
5. Stay Alert and Focused on the Road
The final tip is simple: keep your focus on the road at all times. While this may sound easy, it’s ironically the most difficult thing to do if you let yourself zone out. Don’t stretch out your neck for scenic views or rubberneck when passing accidents, for instance, and always maintain safe distances between your vehicle and the one in front of you. Stay alert for any potential hazards, road signs, or traffic signals. Your number one priority always needs to be the road. As a general rule of thumb, try to scan the road as far ahead as about 12 seconds to spot any potential hazards before they reach you.
A safer today starts with better habits on the road
Distracted driving poses a serious risk to you and everyone on the road, so be sure to get your car ready before you hit the road. This means putting your phone away, avoiding multitasking, and keeping everyone else in the vehicle under control as ridiculous as it may sound. At the end of the day, you need to remember that your sole priority when driving is safety for you and everyone else on the road. This means you have an obligation to avoid any and all distractions, so be sure to follow all the tips provided above to accomplish this.
