While it is always easy to recall a single story of a distracted driver that spills coffee on their lap or a motorist dropping their phone and absently grabbing for it, there are thousands of stories for each incident you can recall hearing. Sometimes the distractions end in narrowly averted incidents, while other times the moment of inattentive action ends in heartache and misery. Read on to better understand the story of inattentive motorists and how you can help end distracted driving.
The Three Distractions
The growing problem of distracted drivers has led many to claim the threat to others has grown to almost epidemic proportions. Although many people are quick to blame teens and phone use for the increasing number of accidents, that is not always the case. Behavior scientists have found there are three major categories of driving distractions.
- Cognitive – inattentive driving
- Manual – hands away from the steering column
- Visual – eyes off the road
Each of these categories has a separate distraction problem, and each has a way to correct the issue before it can become a heart-wrenching accident that forever changes someone’s life.
The Most Common Problems
Although these two activities seem harmless, and both have become a normalized part of society, they are dangerous distractions for the driver. This is especially true for the young, inexperienced motorists.
- Eating
Eating inside the car has become a popular activity for drivers of all ages, especially on days when long commutes or non-stop activities are part of your schedule. Grabbing a bagel and coffee or sandwich and soda may seem like a great solution to your non-stop schedule. The problem is that eating involves all three distractions and therefore, can be problematic. You take your hand off the wheel, look into the bag, and search for whatever food you can find. Instead, keep yourself safe by taking the ten minutes you need, sitting in the parking lot as you eat inside your car. We all know about the issues related to drinking before you get behind the wheel, from serious accidents to ignition interlock suspension issues. While it is essential to keep those in mind, we also shouldn’t sleep on concerns around eating. Don’t eat and drive; it can be deadly.
- Phones
It can be easy to rationalize driving and phone use in this modern world. After all, there are important calls to take, music to listen to, and maps to search, but each time you reach for the phone to change the song, answer the phone call, or change map directions while you are driving, you are becoming distracted. While your attention is sidetracked for a single moment, a driver can suddenly pull in front of you or slam on their breaks, and in that instant, your life could forever change. Why not listen to the radio, pull over to talk on the phone, and set the map route on the vocal mode before you begin traveling. Better yet, set your phone to “driving mode”. When you drive, distraction can be your enemy.
The End of Distractions
You have the opportunity to end distracted driving each time you use your vehicle. Let your boss know you will be unavailable while you are in your car. Tell your friends why you cannot eat and drive. Let your family know why keeping your eyes on the road is so vitally important. Each person you share the information with is another person that can use the info and help end their own distracted driving. Spread the word!