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Home » Consumer Information » Automobile Safety

Driver Distraction

Getting behind the wheel of a car is a task that requires your complete attention. However, driver distractions are everywhere and make it very difficult to keep your mind focused on the road. Whether you're gazing at a billboard, talking to a passenger, or adjusting the stereo, these are all distractions. Driving distractions are responsible for about a quarter of all accidents, which can be calculated at 4,300 accidents per day and more than 1.5 million in the US annually. A recent study found that the leading causes of accidents related to driver distraction are:

  • Talking and texting on cell phone (leading cause)
  • Paying attention to young children
  • Snacking

Cell phone use

It may seem impossible to make it through your daily tasks without a cell phone attached at your hip, but refusing to use one while driving can reduce your odds of being in an auto accident by 400 percent. Looking at the keypad to dial a number or simply engaging in a phone conversation can be enough to divert your attention away from the road. If it the call is so urgent that it simply cannot wait, get off at the next exit or park on the shoulder of the road if it is safe. Ultimately, the person on the other line should understand the rationale behind why you chose not to call or pick up.

Food and drink

Aside from the chance you may make a mess, eating while operating a vehicle can be terribly dangerous. If you are eating, it means you must be holding the food or beverage in one hand and steering with the other. If you anticipate that you will be hungry while on the road, try to plan your day so that you have time to stop and eat your meal under safer circumstances.

Passengers

Parents should buckle up or place their children in child seats securely, and keep them preoccupied. If they are entertained, then they'll be the ones distracted—not doing the distracting. Books, games, or dolls are good ideas, and technology has made things even easier by installing DVD players in minivans and SUVs to be shown on a backseat display.

Try to avoid confrontations or appalling conversations while driving. Arguments and shocking news can really cause a driver to lose focus.

Since most pets do not know how to sit still, if you must transport them, use a carrier or portable kennel. This will prevent any unpredictable behavior and keep your pet safer in the event of an accident.

Dashboard controls

Fiddling with a touchscreen navigation system, switching radio stations, and adjusting the air conditioning are all potentially dangerous activities. In fact, distractions such as these increase your chances of getting into an accident by as much as six. Do you know that you travel half the length of a football field in just two seconds at 60 mph? Now, imagine what could happen over a distance like that if your eyes are not on the road. Heed this advice to avoid putting yourself and others in danger when you're driving:

  • Set all controls where you want them before starting the car.
  • Only make adjustments during the trip if you are at a stop light or stop sign.
  • Request that your passenger alter the settings for you.
  • Pull off the road away from traffic if you must adjust the controls.

Exterior stimuli

Humans are curious by nature, so encountering a brutal accident, flashing police lights, construction, billboards, or a panoramic view can be intriguing enough to forget that we're driving for a second. As difficult as it may be, you should train yourself to continue looking straight ahead in these situations. Otherwise, you may end up in an accident as bad as the one you were gawking at.

Teenagers

Adolescents are more likely to be killed in a car crash than any other kind of accident. Distractions, poor choices, speeding, and lack of experience all are factors contributing to more than 5,000 teen fatalities per year. Chatting with friends, wearing headphones, or blasting your car stereo can yield deadly results. Teenagers who are able to maintain their composure and concentrate in the driver's seat will not endanger themselves and others.

Ludicrous behavior

It sounds absurd, but more people have been known to put on makeup, read a book or newspaper, or even shave while driving than you would expect. Besides being a health hazard, smoking can be extremely dangerous while driving. Lighting or putting out a cigarette or, even worse, dropping one on the interior carpet can cause major problems.