If you take the time to look around at the drivers on a busy road, you will notice that a fair amount is driving distracted. This phenomena of distracted driving are hardly anything new, but an increasing number of people are becoming aware of just how dangerous and completely avoidable the behavior is. As a result, many governments have adopted distracted driving laws, and for a good reason. Distracted driving not only can lead to serious property damage, but it can also seriously injure or even kill the distracted driver and others.
Fortunately, driving distracted is something you can easily avoid, with a little bit of conscious effort. The first step is admitting that sometimes you become distracted behind the wheel. After admitting that, you can then address the different causes of your distraction and do something about them.
Performing any type of personal grooming while behind the wheel is incredibly distracting. This includes applying makeup, shaving, doing your hair, trimming your nails, etc. If you are running late all the time for work or appointments where you need to look your best, you need to start getting ready earlier. Your eyes should always be on the road and not the driver’s vanity mirror while the car is moving.
Everyone knows that cell phones are huge distractions behind the wheel. Using them to text or surf the web takes quite a bit of concentration and often two hands, leaving little of your attention and energy for driving. According to qwireless.ca a mobile phone center located in Etobicoke ON; Despite what people think, even talking on a phone while driving has been shown to be incredibly unsafe, even if you use a handsfree set or a Bluetooth connection in your car.
Driving with a pet on your lap is another distraction people might not think about. While your pet might be calm most of the time in the car, there’s no telling when Fido or Furball sees or hears something that causes the animal to freak out. At that point, you might be fighting to see where you are going, making it hard to avoid a large truck that has stopped directly in front of you.
Like animals, kids can also be a huge point of distraction. Countless parents have been busy trying to discipline Junior for bad behavior in the back seat when they have failed to see a pedestrian or a slowdown in traffic just ahead. If there is a problem with your children, the best thing to do is pull over and take care of it before continuing down the road.
Rubbernecking, or watching events on the side of the road is another common distraction for drivers. This can include watching intensely as a person is pulled over by the police, observing someone changing a flat tire, or even craning your neck to take in a car wreck. If you see a serious situation, rather than staring, pull over your car and help.
Driving when sleepy might not seem like distracted driving, but it technically is. If your eyes are closing involuntarily or your mind is constantly wandering because you are completely fatigued, you are hardly paying attention to the task at hand. Even though it might not be convenient or comfortable, if you are genuinely tired the best thing to do is pull over and rest, then continue your journey once you are refreshed.
Playing with the radio or infotainment system is another form of distraction. This has been a problem since radios first appeared in cars. If you cannot change the station or map out a pathway to your destination while keeping your eyes on the road, pull over and take care of your electronic needs before you continue down the road.