5 tips for your safety

“In 2019, there were 3,142 people killed and an estimated 424,000 people injured in motor vehicle crashes involving distracted driving.” ^[i]

The danger of distracted driving is a familiar topic with most everyone, yet we continue to do it.  In this blog post you will find five tips on preventing distracted driving and to keep you safe.

Whether it is eating or drinking while driving, putting on makeup or shaving with an electric razor, or using the cell phone, the person is driving distracted because he is not focused on driving.  When the topic is discussed, everyone recognizes distracted driving is a problem, but the response is that the problem is because of someone else, not ourselves. We believe that we are safe drivers, unlike those “other” drivers.

April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month and it is a perfect time to remind everyone, us and them, that we should focus on driving when behind the wheel.  According to the National Safety Council, our roads are the most dangerous than they have been in years.^[ii]  So it is time to acknowledge that we are all human and all of us create just as much of a risk as “the others.” 

Distraction is made up of one or more behaviors: a manual one where we are using our hands; a visual one where our eyes are the issue; or, a cognitive one where our brain is engaged in something other than driving. While a cognitive distraction is the least obvious type of distraction, it is potentially the most dangerous of the three.  

Put the Cell Phone Down

In today’s society, a common distraction is using a cell phone for phone calls, to text, or even to search the web. Let’s face it, the temptation to use a cell phone while driving is huge.  There is the perception that when driving, it is “free” time; thus, the idea of getting something done or chatting with a friend frequently happens. But cell phones are a huge distraction, which can potentially involve all three types of distraction: manual, visual and cognitive.  

When using a hand-held cell phone while driving, there is the manual as well as the cognitive distractions and when looking at the phone, it is causing a visual distraction.  Even going “hands-free” still has the cognitive distraction, the brain is focused on the phone call. Using a cell phone is a distraction no matter how it is used. Either way, the brain is not focused on the driving.

The Myth of Multi-Tasking 

Many of us believe we are great “multi-taskers.”  However, we aren’t.  Humans cannot multi-task.  Our brain can only handle one activity at a time, so what we call multi-tasking, is just the brain going back and forth from one task to another and not giving our full attention to either.  In fact, the brain choses which task the person has “said” is more important, and then focuses on that one.  If necessary, the brain will switch back to another task when something happens. You can tell when the person you are speaking to on the other end of the phone is not fully engaged in the call—you get short answers, or “uh-huh” or “mmmm.”  As soon as you point out to the person that he or she is not listening, the brain changes the focus, you get their full attention, and if that person is driving, then it is the attention to driving that suffers.

Change is hard, for everyone.  But we can all change; change for our family, for our friends and for ourselves.  Below are five lifesaving tips on distracted driving. 

Five Tips for Your Safety

• If you are expecting a text message or phone call or you need to make one, pull over and park your car in a safe location. Once you are safely off the road and parked, it is safe to call or text.
• Do not engage in social media scrolling or messaging while driving. 
• Struggling to not use your phone and drive? Activate your phone’s “Do Not Disturb” feature, or put your cell phone in the trunk, glove box, or back seat of your vehicle until you arrive at your destination.
• When you get behind the wheel, be an example to your family and friends by putting your phone away. Just because other people do it doesn’t mean texting and driving is “normal” behavior. 
• If your friend is using a phone while driving, tell them to stop. Listen to your passengers: If they catch you using your phone while driving and ask you to put your phone away, respect their request and put it down. 

Remember, April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month and it is the perfect time to increase the discussion and educate everyone on the dangers of distracted driving. It is the perfect time to recognize that we all are dangerous when we drive distracted, and that we need to change our actions. It is time to focus on driving.

For more information on distracted driving and texting, click here. 

---

^[i] Distracted Driving 2019, Traffic Safety Facts, Research Note, (April 2021) National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

^[ii] https://www.nsc.org/road/distracted-driving-awareness-month