When you’re behind the wheel, your full attention should be on driving. Unfortunately, distractions can easily take your focus away, leading to dangerous accidents.
It starts with checking your phone and adjusting the radio. These distractions may seem minor but can have serious consequences. In this article, we will discuss the common distractions while driving that can increase the risk of accidents so you can stay aware and focused during every drive.
Article Summary
Cell Phone Usage
Using your cell phone to communicate while driving is one of the most common and dangerous distractions. Whether you’re texting, making a call, or checking notifications, each action takes your attention away from the road. Even a glance at your phone can cause you to miss crucial traffic signals, road hazards, or changes in traffic conditions.
To stay safe, it’s best to keep your phone out of reach, use hands-free features, or pull over safely if you need to make a call or send a message.
Reaching For Something in the Car
While it may seem pretty harmless to reach for the drink you may have set on the passenger seat, grab the map to find your destination, or grab your bag, doing so means taking your eyes off the road and taking your hands off the wheel, even just for a second.
And doing this simple act decreases your odds of losing control or missing a critical hazard. But to avoid that, keep your car organized and keep some items close by when you start driving. Heck, if you need something on your trip, just pull over safely and get it.
Looking at Things Outside of the Car (Besides the Road)
Of course, if you look out of the window like at a billboard, an accident could take your eyes off the road. It’s important to keep your eyes peeled but your eyes should always be on driving.
Looking at distractions outside of the car, over long stretches of time, can impair your ability to react fast to sudden changes in traffic or road conditions. The focus is always on maintaining the road ahead.
Daydreaming
While daydreaming can be quite a harmless mental escape, it is as dangerous as any other distraction. They may not register changes in the traffic flow, turns ahead, stoplights, etc. when your mind drifts.
If you find yourself daydreaming on the road show you need to refocus on the road right away. Listen to music, talk, and take breaks when you’re tired or distracted in order to remain focused.
Driving with Children
When you have children in the car, it increases your chances of distraction many times. When it comes to fighting in the backseat, demanding snacks, or needing your immediate attention, if you’re trying to manage children’s behavior while driving, your focus is on the children, not the road.
Children should be safely buckled in their seats to decrease distractions and attempt to work out any issues before beginning to drive.
If you need to say something to the kids in the backseat, stop safely to do so rather than trying to teach them to behave while you drive.
More people drive with distractions than you would think, but everyone can avoid distractions if they are aware and prepared. The more you can stay focused on the road and out of your head, the safer you’ll be behind the wheel.
