Preventing Distracted Driving

I tend to consider myself a very safe driver. This is my third summer with a license, and over the last few years, I have gained a lot of experience behind the wheel. However, just like any human, I can become distracted, and it is important to be able to analyze and remedy these habits in order to create a safer driving experience not only for myself, but for everyone else in the car.

One distraction that I have found myself facing is that of my surrounding environment. When driving, I sometimes catch my eyes drifting towards things outside my car, such as the construction site on the side of the road or the dogs going for walks on the sidewalks downtown. I tend to be very observant of my surroundings, and though this can be a beneficial trait, it can also prove to be a downfall when fixated on for too long while driving. While being aware of your surroundings is important while driving, focusing on something that does not affect your route for an extended period of time can cause you to miss more important details on the road. In order to remedy this, it is important to stay more vigilant. This may be easier said than done, but being aware of your thoughts and actions while driving and making a note to correct yourself if you notice your eyes or mind drifting can be effective in redirecting your attention and refocusing on the task at hand.

Another distraction that I have found myself facing while driving is my emotions. Sometimes, I find my mind wandering to replay an interaction that happened earlier, become immersed in deep thought, or just become overwhelmed with intense emotion, whether it be positive or negative. In these instances, it is more difficult to notice that you are distracted because while your eyes are on the road and you feel that you are being present in your driving, your mind is not fully immersed in the task. In these scenarios, it is very easy to become mentally distracted without even realizing it. This can cause an individual to again miss very important details while driving. One easy way to avoid this is to not drive during times of high emotions. By avoiding getting behind the wheel when your brain is preoccupied with strong emotions, you eliminate the chance of becoming mentally distracted. If this is not possible or you find yourself mentally and emotionally distracted while you are already driving, putting on some feel-good music or a podcast can help take your mind off of your thoughts and refocus on the road and your surroundings.

To be a safer driver and to help others become safer drivers, eliminating distractions and drawing attention to them is key. Before fixing common distracted driving habits, drivers have to be aware of how or when they are becoming distracted, as sometimes it is not so obvious. It is easy for one’s mind to wander without even realizing. Therefore, noticing the problem and making an active effort to mitigate the issue is extremely important. Though making an effort to fix your own distracted driving habits is a step in the right direction and can be very effective, this, however, is not the only action that needs to be taken. When on the roads, one of the main concerns is what individuals in surrounding cars are doing. Though staying vigilant and noticing one’s own surroundings can help to lessen issues caused by others, it is important to educate others on the risks of distracted driving. By talking to loved ones and reinforcing that their actions while driving can affect not only themselves but surrounding individuals, it can help bring attention to the ever-prominent issue of distractions. By bringing attention to distractions, it is more likely to be on one’s mind while driving, and can help to remind a driver to bring their attention back to the task at hand. Again, an issue cannot be fixed if a driver is not aware that they have it, so even just bringing attention to it is the first step towards taking action against distracted driving.

Though I feel that I am a very safe and focused driver, this does not make me immune to distraction. Recognizing and making an attempt to fix these distractions is the first step in creating a safer driving experience. This is extremely important to me as I am often not the only one in my car, and my first priority is always making sure that myself and my passengers arrive safely at our destinations. For these reasons, taking action to mitigate distractions myself as well as bringing attention to others are both extremely important.