Top Driver Distractions

Every day, distracted driving kills more than nine people and injures more than 1,100 and, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, accounts for more than 1.5 million collisions a year. Stay safe and help ensure the safety of others by recognizing the most frequent causes of driver distraction and taking steps to avoid them.
 

• Talking or Texting: Did you know that driving while using a cell phone (handheld or hands-free) impairs driver reaction to the same level at the legal limit for impaired driving with a blood alcohol content of .08? The Traffic Safety Administration also states that texting while driving makes you 23 times more likely to crash. Put aside your electronics! Pull over on the side of the road to use your phone if it’s an emergency.

• Adjusting the Radio/GPS: These are all distractions that take your eyes off the road. Adjust these devices before you put your car in gear. 

• Personal Maintenance: We’re increasingly busy people, but our vehicles are not the place to take care of life’s daily tasks, such as applying makeup or eating. The vast majority of us experience a noticeable decline in performance when we try to do multiple things at once. Don’t gamble with your ability to multi-task – take care of yourself before you hit the road.

• Roadside Diversions: Looking at a roadside accident, landmarks or a billboard, even for a few seconds, takes your mind and eyes off the road. Consider that, at 55 mph, your car will travel the length of a football field in about five seconds. That’s plenty of time for traffic conditions to change radically. Always focus fully on driving.
  
  Multi-tasking is something to avoid when you’re behind the wheel. When driving, keep your attention focused on the road. If you must address another concern, pull off the road and stop your vehicle in a safe place. Eliminate driver distractions, and you can help make the roads safer for everyone.