Distracted Driving is Deadly Driving

Each and every year approximately three thousand people die in automobile accidents due to distracted driving. That is approximately nine people every single day. From daydreaming to texting and even eating while behind the wheel, distracted driving kills. According to the Nation Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) these distractions are put into three categories: visual distractions, manual distractions, and cognitive distractions. To help curb these unnecessary numbers, we must first identify the distractions and then we can work to eliminate them.

Visual distractions have increased significantly with the change in technology. These distractions range from checking your GPS to searching for your favorite song. To help eliminate these distractions, most phones and car audio systems now offer voice commands. Instead of picking that phone up or looking at the screen to search for your song, try utilizing this resource. This will eliminate removing your eyes from the road and the area around you. As always, if you absolutely need to look at your phone it is safest to just pull over to a safe area to complete the task.

Manual distractions go hand in hand with visual distractions. Taking your hand off the wheel to grab that sandwich or reach for your phone increases the chance of an accident. It takes only three to five seconds for an accident to occur due to distracted driving. As with visual distractions, this can be eliminated by using hands free features on your phone or car, or simply by pulling over when needing to take your hands off the wheel.

Cognitive distractions can sometimes be the hardest to eliminate. This is when your focus and concentration is not on driving. So how can you fix cognitive distractions? The most important way is to make sure you are well rested. Drivers that are fatigued or tired are suspected of contributing to more than one thousand crashes each year, resulting in more than fifteen hundred deaths. That is over fifty percent of the deaths caused by distracted driving. Every one of us is guilty of distracted driving and only we can prevent these deaths.

While I luckily have not been in a car accident caused by distracted driving, I have been affected by it. I have been late to work due to people not driving the speed limit because being on their phone held their attention. I have had many close calls due to being on my cell phone, reading a message instead of focusing on the road. After nearly crossing the center line with my children in the car, I have taken steps to eliminate my distractions while driving.

When preparing for a trip in the car, I always make sure my phone is set to go into “Do Not Disturb” while driving. I make sure to set my GPS if needed and connect to my radio so that I can easily hear the instructions without having to look at my phone. If I need to use my phone, I find a safe place to pull over. I make sure I am well rested, and if not, I find someone to drive on my behave. My children know to keep their voices down and to avoid talking to me while I am driving. Although cognitive distractions are the hardest to overcome, I make sure to focus on my surroundings continuously bringing my mind back to driving if it drifts into thoughts.

Many states have put laws in place to assist with stopping distracted driving. Here in Ohio, we have a Distracted Drivers Law the makes it illegal to hold a cell phone or electronics device in your hand, lap, or other parts of the body while driving. However, there are exceptions to this law which can cause issues. Drivers over eighteen are permitted to make or receive calls via hands-free devices. Drivers are allowed to hold their device while stopped at a traffic light or for a call if it can start or stop with a single touch or swipe. These exceptions allow for the three to five seconds of distraction that it takes to cause an accident.

Educating new drivers and reinforcing the importance of driver’s safety throughout a person’s life is the only way to stop the amount of death from distracted driving. I believe that when a person renews their license, they should be required to watch an updated video sharing the current statics and explaining the impact of distracted driving. Providing knowledge and education is what can help open the eyes of new and experienced drivers.