Distracted Driving is Deadly, What Are You Doing to Stop It?

Driver

April is distracted driving month.  According to the CDC, nine people are killed in crashes involving a distracted driver each day in the United States.  About 1 in 5 of those who die in distracted driving crashes were pedestrians, bicyclists or otherwise not in a motor vehicle, according to the NHTSA. 

What are the main types of distraction?  According to the CDC:

1.      Eyes not on path

2.      Hands not on wheel

3.      Mind not on task

How can we combat distracted driving?

Stop Texting and Driving

• Make a personal commitment to not operate your cell phone while operating a vehicle.

• Establish a company policy to not operate a vehicle while talking or texting on a cell phone.

• Pledge as a family to not talk or text while driving, and don’t ride in a vehicle where the driver is not committed to focusing on their task.

• If you can’t resist a ringing phone, turn it off or silence it while driving. 

Focus on Driving

• Avoid eating, applying makeup, dressing or performing other tasks while driving.

• Put away distractions such as magazines, papers, laptops and tablets.

• Make adjustments before moving your vehicle including GPS, mirrors, seatbelts and seat adjustments. 

• Secure children, pets and loose gear or objects.  If you need to adjust something, pull over and stop the car, don’t reach back.

• Take two, focus on your surroundings and on your task.

• If you can’t fully focus on driving, pull over in a safe place and stop.  Don’t attempt to drive while upset or while attempting to fix something.

Remember that driving is a task that requires focus and skill.  Don’t be a statistic! Keep your eyes on your path, hands on the wheel, and mind on the task of driving safely.