Nearly everyone in the country has heard stories about distracted driving and the consequences of doing so. However, not everyone understands how prevalent this problem is. In 2015 alone, over 390,000 individuals were injured in a vehicle crash involving a distracted driver. The most common age group to be involved in a fatal crash involving distracted driving are teenagers.
There are numerous causes of distracted driving, and they all boil down to the same thing: not enough attention is being paid to the road because the driver is focused on something completely unrelated to driving. In this article, we will look at the most common causes of distracted driving, so you can take a look at your own behavior and determine if you need to make a change.
While many of us will think about someone texting or eating a donut as distracted driving, there is a far more insidious example. Many of the situations where a collision occurs due to distraction are simply because of the driver’s mind wandering. They are not taking a call or putting on lip gloss; they are just thinking about other things. Maybe it is a concern about whether you will make it on time for a job interview or thoughts about what to get at the grocery store. When your mind is on autopilot, you may not be in a position to make good decisions while driving.
While general distractedness or being lost in your thoughts is a huge cause of distracted driving, cell phone use is the second most common. Nowadays, nearly everyone has a smartphone. These devices are capable of distraction in a myriad of ways. You might get a call, hear a text, or see a notification light up that causes you to grab the phone and take a look. Even in a couple of seconds while you are doing this, it can lead to a collision, which might lead to injuries or even fatalities of those in your car or someone else’s.
It is not uncommon to drive by an accident and find your eyes going to the location or just glancing over at people in other cars. However, this is a huge source of distraction. You need to be paying attention to what is happening directly around you, not down the street or off on the side of the road. It is not uncommon for an auto accident to lead to additional accidents as people are distracted by looking at what's happening on the scene.
Having someone else in the car with you can lead to increased distraction. Talking to someone else or looking at them can remove your attention from the car and your driving. While this is not as distracting as a cell phone or staring at an accident on the road, it can still lead to sticky situations. No matter who you are with or where you are going, it is a good idea to keep most of your focus on the road, other drivers, and pedestrians to avoid accidents or other trouble.
We already spoke about how using a cell phone is extremely distracting, but that is not the only way a device can lead to problems. Have you ever wanted to reach your phone but are unsure where it is? Alternatively, maybe it was across the car and getting access to it required taking your eyes off the road for a second. This is another instance where you are distracted, even if only for a short time, and it could lead to a serious accident.
Most people end up using their cupholders from time to time or even consume meals while driving in their vehicles. Unfortunately, this is another source of distraction for drivers. Reaching down to grab a cup and placing it back in the cupholder takes seconds but can leave you unfocused long enough that you could cause a collision. Eating while driving is equally tricky since you only have use of a single hand while you chow down on your breakfast or lunch. The better option is to pick up food on the way and eat once you reach your destination.
It is more uncommon for the final few distractions to lead to serious injury or death, but it does happen. You don’t want to be the person who is the exception in a situation like this. Something as mundane as turning the dial for climate control or fiddling with the radio can be distracting. Wait until you are at a complete stop somewhere before making these sorts of adjustments to limit the chances of getting in an accident.
Similar to the last source of distraction, adjusting components of the vehicle can lead to negative consequences. This might be something like adjusting the straps of your seatbelt or reaching up to adjust your rearview mirror. In some cases, this may be a task that can be done when the car is stopped or parked. Even if not, it is best to make sure you keep the majority of your focus on the vehicle you are driving and the road you are operating it on. While this is not a huge contributor to distracted driving accidents, it is something that happens on occasion and not something you want to be a part of.
If you take your puppy along with you when you do your errands for the day, that is an additional source of distraction for you. Watching to see what they are doing, reaching over to move them, or otherwise caring for the pet will take focus off of the driving that you are doing. Another problem is pests that fly in the window. Shooing a bee or a spider can be stressful and immediately pull your attention away from the road. If this happens, pull over to deal with the intrusion and then get back on the road when everything is taken care of.
The last common cause of distracting driving is smoking. While you may not pay attention to the cigarette or cigar in your hand, it still takes some focus off of driving when you are lighting it or putting it out. It can also lead to situations where ash or other debris comes back into the vehicle. This can lead to fire or injury, which will certainly cause anyone to lose focus on what they are doing. It may be an uncommon reason for injury or death from distracted driving, but it does happen, and you should be aware of it.
What it all comes down to is that you need to pay attention to driving at every moment you are behind the steering wheel. Many people are so used to driving that they become complacent in the operation of a vehicle. This is a dangerous situation that can lead to accidents, injury, or even death. It does not help if you are tired, rushing, or frustrated about something going on in your life.
Accidents happen all the time but being aware of your surroundings can lessen the possibility that they will happen to you. That means pushing yourself to notice what is happening any time you are in your car. Not only will you be keeping yourself safer, but you will also be keeping passengers and other vehicle operators out of dangerous situations out there.