Ways to Prevent Distracted Driving

Distracted driving continues to be a leading cause of death in today’s world. In 2019 alone, 3,142 people were killed due to motor vehicle crashes involving distracted driving. It is common knowledge that distracted driving is a treacherous activity with dire consequences, yet many in today’s society still fall victim to it. More often than not, we take for granted the warnings provided to us concerning distracted driving, thinking ourselves able to successfully accomplish multitasking while driving because we know better than those who previously failed. Driver’s education is essential to being a safe driver; everyone should take what they learn in driver’s training to heart and apply that knowledge to their daily driving.

Without proper driver’s education, individuals cannot be adequately prepared for the road. Driver’s education allows people to learn how to drive properly, how to make sure their vehicle is in safe working order, know the signs and rules of the road, and be attentive to your surroundings. Being educated grants the driver the ability to make smarter decisions. Smarter decisions lead to safer driving. Safer driving results in less accidents and deaths caused by reckless drivers. On the road, a driver can only control their own vehicle, so they need to make sure they are doing their part to prevent accidents by always abiding by the rules and regulations of the road. Drivers should stay away from distractions within their vehicle, as well as, keep their undivided attention on their surroundings outside of it.

Distracted driving, such as driving while texting, is a major cause of motor vehicle crashes. Reducing distractions inside the car will assist in the effort to reduce the number of deaths related to driving. The most common way to reduce the distractions when driving is to turn off your phone’s ringer, or completely shut the phone off. Taking this a step further, placing it out of reach, such as, in a purse or glove compartment discourages the use of the phone while driving. Most people’s rationale for using their phone in the car is that it is usually in a place that is easily accessible like a cup holder. Therefore, an individual could be “fast enough” to hastily use their phone and put it back without feeling that they are taking a risk. Having a cell phone in a bag, however, makes that risk more obvious due to the time it takes to grab the bag and take the phone out to use it. Not all people are easily persuaded by the idea of utterly blocking themselves off from their phones though.

The majority of people enjoy using their phone as a source of navigation or music for car rides; thus, using this as an excuse for a need to access their phones while driving. A compromise used to appeal to this view would be to take advantage of most cars’ Bluetooth functions for music, as well as, built in navigation. This way, direct contact with a phone can be removed from the equation, making the travel more secure. A person can even utilize phone clips for car dashboards when using phone navigation systems if they are dissuaded from the car’s navigation capabilities. This way there is a hands-free solution to using one’s phone, further reducing risk. In some car systems, one has the ability to play or skip music using Bluetooth by either operating the car’s display touchscreen or buttons on the steering wheel. Both of these solutions keep an individual’s eyes on the road longer while having the capability to play whatever music they please. Another idea would be to have playlists ready to go before starting a drive, removing the distraction of scrolling through music on the road.

When in a car with friends, a helpful way of reducing risk whilst driving is to let a passenger be an accountability partner. Acting as an accountability partner means making sure the driver doesn’t access their phone on the road, or isn’t distracted in some other way. This could also include taking on the role of the navigator or DJ, so that the driver can keep their eyes on the road. Accountability partners can be used for family members as well. I am fortunate enough to not ever have been in a car accident before, but I have observed risky behavior of family members while driving. Many adults believe that because they are older and more experienced drivers, they can use phones while driving. I have also noticed every once in a while, my parents and other adults do not use turn signals while changing lanes. Both of these activities greatly increase a person’s risk of getting into a car accident. Just because someone has previous experience does not mean that they can be more relaxed with the rules of the road or partake in distractions while driving. As an accountability partner, an individual, such as myself, can gently remind their parents and other adults to follow the same rules laid out for those younger than themselves. After all, I know I would not want to see my parents die in a severe car accident, and others would not wish for that kind of fate for their loved ones either.

By following the suggestions, such as, always following the rules of driver’s training, putting your phone out of reach, and driving with a partner I can become a better, safer driver along with helping others become safer on the road as well. With a little self-discipline and mindfulness, we can all become more secure drivers and help diminish distracted driving deaths.