Tips To Avoid The 5 Common Driving Distractions
Brian O Sutter
Accident Lawyers
Distracted driving is a serious problem in the state of Florida. Florida has the highest number of accidents caused by distracted drivers. Last year alone there were 45,000 crashes from distracted drivers. These crashes lead to 39,000 injuries and 214 people were killed. Distracted driver is deadly and should be avoided at all costs.What Is Distracted Driving?
Distracted driving is driving a vehicle while being distracted by something else. There are 3 main types of distracted driving:
● Manual: Manual distracted driving is when a driver takes their hands off the wheel to do something else.
● Visual: Visual distracted driving is when a driver stops looking at the road and instead looks at something else.
● Cognitive: Cognitive distracted driving is when a driver takes their mind off the road and starts thinking about something other than driving.
Distracted driving endangers the lives of the driver, the passengers, and the people on the road including other drivers and passengers, cyclists, and pedestrians.
Who Is Guilty Of Distracted Driving?
The assumption is that most distracted drivers are teenagers playing with their phone. However people under 20 only account for 11% of all distracted driving accidents. In fact, the highest rate of distracted drivers are drivers between the ages of 36-45, causing nearly 30% of all distracted driving accidents. Furthermore, a recent national survey showed that nearly half of all drivers admit to using their phone while driving, while 14% even admit to reading their text messages or emails while driving. Also 86% of all drivers admit to eating or drinking while in their vehicle. 44% admit to driving while they were tired and 25% admit to driving after two or more alcoholic drinks. So pretty much everyone on the road is guilty of distracted driving at some point.
Avoiding The Five Common Driving Distractions
According to the statistics, everyone has been a distracted driver, so it is important that all drivers learn how to avoid distractions so they can stay safe on the roads. Here are the five most common distractions and ways to avoid them:
1. Avoid cell phone distractions:
● Turn off your cell phone when you enter your car
● If you have to respond to a caller or text message, find somewhere safe to pull over
● Have a passenger answer the phone for you
2. Avoid vehicle distractions:
● Set your GPS coordinates before you leave for your destination
● Do not play with the radio, pick your music before you leave
● Make sure you understand all your car’s features, never take your eyes off the road to turn on your heater or windshield wipers
3. Avoid mental distractions:
● Never drive when you are angry or upset
● Never drive when you are tired or fatigued
● Do not daydream while you drive
4. Avoid distractions from passengers:
● Never focus more on your passengers than the road
● Pull over to address any issues in the backseat with your children
● Do not let pets roam freely in the car
5. Avoid distractions from food and drink:
● Do not eat while driving, pull over somewhere if you need to eat
● If you need a drink, try to use a straw so you do not have to take your eyes off the road
● Never ever drive after consuming alcohol
Distracted driving is very dangerous, especially for Florida residents who have the highest number of distracted driving accidents in the country. Though everyone gets distracted sometimes while they are driving, you cannot let these distractions endanger you, your passengers, or other bystanders. If you follow these simple tips to avoid the five common distractions, you will never cause a distracted driving car accident.