One way that distracted driving has affected my life is that I got into an unnecessary car accident. I was driving in my satellite Career Center parking lot and a man was very distracted and confused. In this parking lot it is a mini shopping center. This center includes multiple restaurants to purchase food from. A man was on his lunch break and I was heading out to go home or back to his job. This man came from out of a restaurant after purchasing food and gets into his car and becomes very distracted and confused. He could not decide which direction he was heading. There was a divider in the road heading towards the traffic light. He was too busy messing with things in his car and did not know what lane to choose. I was also heading towards the traffic light and was in my lane. He hit my car on the side near the back driver’s side.
I stopped and we got out of the car to assess the damage. He claimed it was my fault but I was in the right lane. He was swerving back and forth deciding which lane to choose. The police was called and insurance information was exchanged. Thankfully the area restaurants had video footage. He did not realize there was video footage. He filed a claim with his insurance company. His insurance company viewed the claim and stated it was my fault. When my insurance company contacted me I sent the video footage to them. They viewed it, I won and the claim was denied. The video showed exactly what I stated, he was distracted and confused. Needless to say I had to get my vehicle repaired. It was not major but I had dents and scratches on my new vehicle. If he was paying attention none of this would have happened. This is an example of why you should reduce distraction while driving.


The following are some things that can cause distraction while driving in vehicles. Teens especially like to access music by Bluetooth, a USB device or some type of Auxiliary cable.
These days’ cars are compatible and made to support Apple or Android phones. Another way to get distracted is by utilizing navigation devices via a phone or part of the car system. By far I believe the main way to get distracted is by talking on the phone while driving. As little as carrying on a conversation can cause a bad accident. Texting while driving can definitely be distracting. I text before I leave from point A. When needed, I text from point B after I have arrived. These are some of the things that I do to try to prevent distraction or accidents while driving.
Before you begin driving you should become familiar with the functions and settings in your vehicle. There is usually a car specific book in your glove compartment box that can help you better understand how your car works. The programs are set to be integrated to ensure that your phone and navigation devices can access the settings in your car. Get to know your features and the car prompts. All cars do not have the same features or availability options. I purchased a phone holder so that I could be hands free.

Bluetooth:

Before you begin driving while in a parking position determine and select your choice of music to play. Connect your phones Bluetooth to the car stereo system and pair it. Ensure the music is playing before taking off. I keep the music at a volume level to hear emergency vehicles. I use voice commands while driving to change or adjust volumes.

USB:

Make sure that the USB that you purchase is compatible to your car. Download the song list that you want on to your USB device. Insert it into the port and make sure it is connected and playing before you begin driving.



Navigation:

There are several ways to use navigation. If using the phone pull up the driving app and set the destination before leaving. Ensure the address is right and the audio is turned up to hear the instructions. Place the phone in a phone holder in front of you. Another option if available is to use the in car navigation program. Set the correct address and listen and follow the instructions. The navigation program is only set to adjust while in a park position to prevent distraction while driving.



Eating While Driving:

There are times that eating food while driving can be distracting. There are many times I see people reaching for the food bag. They are in and out of the food bag multiple times. People are adding condiments such as ketchup, mustard and salt to their food while driving. This can cause them to swerve in and out of lanes while performing these tasks. Especially if something spills. I would suggest eating the food before you leave or wait to get to your destination and park and eat it.
Being present cognitively and visually is very important while driving. A vehicle can become a weapon if it is not used properly. A car weighs thousands of pounds and you have to be careful with it. That is why states require education and training before you get behind a wheel. In Ohio a teen is required to complete 24 hours of classroom instruction, by an approved driving education program. Classroom instruction requirements can also be obtained by an online approved program. Our online course is through the Ohio Department of Public Safety. The state also requires 8 hours behind- the-wheel training. In addition to that a parent or guardian is required to ensure that the teen has 50 hours of practice behind the wheel. A log is required to keep a record. Part of the 50 hours of practice must include 10 hours of night time driving. To reduce distractive driving a 16 year old in Ohio is only allowed 1 non-family member passenger while driving alone. Cognitively is very important you need to be able to mentally process while you are driving and understand you are not just driving for you but driving safe for others.