In a World of Endless Interruptions Don’t Drive Distracted

April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month! While distracted driving isn’t a new concept, advancements in technology over the past several years have added new distractions to the ever-growing list.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) distracted driving is the leading cause of car accidents in the United States claiming over 3,000 lives in 2022.

In this blog, we will go over some of the main heavy hitters for distracted driving and the best practices for avoiding them!

As many of you may have guessed, number one on our list is using your cell phone in any way while operating a vehicle. Texting, phone calls, scrolling on an app, and navigation apps typically only take your eyes off the road for a short time, but those few seconds are enough for disaster to strike. The best technique to avoid distractions from your cellular device is to put the phone away in a secure compartment, bag, or pocket where it is out of sight and out of mind. The text or phone call you are getting can wait until you arrive at your destination. Now, as far as navigation systems go, we recommend setting the route before beginning your drive, having your phone in a mount or connected to your vehicle so you can be hands-free, and having the audio guide on to avoid having to look at the screen.

Another big contributor to distracted driving is eating while driving. We get it, we can all get a little hangry, and that double cheeseburger and large fry sound pretty darn good BUT while operating your vehicle is not the time to enjoy it. We encourage eating your food prior to beginning your drive or waiting until you arrive at your destination to enjoy your meal. All it takes is one glob of ketchup falling from that burger onto your shirt for your eyes to leave the road and an accident to occur.

Let’s talk about our next distraction, passengers. It can be more enjoyable to have company in the car with you, but they can be distracting. Whether they are talking to you, making you laugh, diverting your attention from the road, or if said passengers are your children fighting in the back seat - chaos can ensue. If you do have a passenger, while it can be awkward, we need to normalize asking those riding in the vehicle to avoid distracting you. If they are your children, the best thing to do is pull off in a safe location and deal with the issue before continuing the drive.

The last distraction we want to highlight is multi-tasking. While you’re driving is not the time to be applying makeup, digging through your bag to find something, or trying to pick up an item that has dropped on the floor. Play it safe and smart and keep the act of driving a single-task activity.

We are all busy and living in a world of countless distractions. Choosing to focus (or not focus) while you are operating a vehicle could be the decision that changes your life significantly. Make the right choice and celebrate this Distracted Driving Awareness Month by choosing to keep your eyes on the road.

Have any questions about what you just read? Please contact your Independent Insurance Agent or email us at socialmedia@psmic.com!