Tips to Avoid Distracted Driving and Save You Money

Distracted Driving can lead to crashes and an increase in insurance premiums. This not only impacts your bottom line but could have disastrous impacts on your health. While a number of factors can lead to a crash (e.g., impaired driving, poor road conditions and adverse weather), distracted driving is a common, preventable cause of accidents. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) defines distracted driving as any activity that diverts a person’s attention away from driving. However, not all distracted driving looks the same. When it comes to distracted driving, there are a variety of laws to keep in mind:

Handheld devices are banned for commercial motor vehicle driving.
Some states and municipalities have banned handheld phones. Ohers have gone an additional step by also not allowing hands-free devices.

Regardless of the form, distracted driving can have deadly consequences. Data from the NHTSA indicates that, each year, up to 391,000 people are injured and 3,450 people are killed in crashes involving distracted drivers.

While texting and taking phone calls while driving are major causes of accidents, they aren’t the only distractions to be aware of. Distracted driving can be broken down into the following three categories:

1. Taking your eyes off the road (visual distractions)
2. Taking your hands off the wheel (physical distractions)
3. Taking your mind off driving (cognitive distractions)

Visual Distractions

One form of distracted driving is visual distractions. These are any distractions that take your eyes off the road.

Common visual distractions include:

Using electronic devices such as a GPS, audio player, radio, cellphone, or laptop
Eating, drinking, or smoking
Focusing attention on visual distractions outside the vehicle, such as collisions, police activity, street signs, pedestrians, construction, or billboards

It does not take much thought to see how these distractions can be dangerous. While driving, you are in control of a vehicle that weighs hundred (if not thousands of pounds) and are often going at high speeds. It is important you keep your eyes on the road to keep you and your loved ones, and others on the road safe.

Physical Distractions

Another form of distracted driving is a physical distraction. Physical distractions are any distractions that cause a driver to take their hands off the wheel of a vehicle. These can manifest themselves in many ways, but each one can have grave consequences.

Common physical distractions include:

Eating/drinking
Talking on handheld phone
Reaching into the passenger seat or back seat to grab an item.

Very similar to visual distractions, physical distractions can put your family, friends, and community in danger. Without both hands on the wheel, it is very difficult to control a vehicle. This can also affect your reaction time, increasing the odds of a crash.

Cognitive Distractions

This form of distraction is something not a lot of people recognize. Cognitive distractions are any distractions that cause a driver to think about something other than driving.

Common cognitive distractions include daydreaming or multitasking.

Cognitive distractions are especially dangerous, as drivers often have a false sense of security. In their mind, they have their hands on the wheel and therefore are not driving distracted. It’s important that you are aware and alert while driving and cognitive distractions can dimmish your reaction times just like other distractions.

Some distractions may involve more than one type of distraction at once. For instance, texting and driving can take both your eyes and mind off the road. It takes an average of five seconds to read or send a text. During that time, a vehicle going 55 miles per hour can travel the length of a football field. As you can imagine, a lot can change in this distance, and if you aren’t vigilant, it can cause horrific situations.

Prevention Tips

There are some practical and rather simple tips you can take to better protect yourself on the road. Below are a few tips you can take to prevent accidents from happening.

Know Your Vehicle

Taking the time to learn the ins and outs of your vehicle can reduce the need to take your eyes off the road. For instance, drivers should know where their windshield wipers switch is. That way, in a storm, they don’t need to take their eyes off the road to find the switch.

If the vehicle you’re in is not yours (e.g., rented vehicles), take the extra time to get to know the car before you hit the road.

Plan Ahead

Make any necessary adjustments before you drive. This can involve:

Adjusting your rearview and side mirrors
Choosing your music
Answering any important texts or emails
Eating

Minimize the potential for distractions by planning your routes. Research your drive ahead of time to eliminate the need for GPS, maps, and other navigation tools.

Avoid Temptations

To help eliminate the urge to use cellphones and other devices, turn them off and stow them out of sight in a safe compartment.

It’s also beneficial install an application on your cellphone that recognizes when your vehicle is in motion and responds to texts and calls with a preset safety message. Some phones have this functionality built in.

Avoid Multitasking

When behind the wheel, your job is to drive safely. As part of this responsibility, and for your own safety, do not do anything that distracts you from the road.

While you drive, actively scan the road, using your mirrors to watch out for other vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists.

If you need to make a phone call or respond to a text message on the road, pull over beforehand. Even the use of a hands-free device is dangerous and can create a cognitive distraction. Plan your meals in advance and avoid eating while you drive.

Be a Good Passenger

If you are a passenger in a vehicle, do your part:

Do not be the cause of a distraction.
Speak up if the driver is being distracted.
Do things on behalf of the driver. This can include adjusting the music, setting up navigation systems and answering phone calls and text messages.

Summary

Distractions come in a variety of forms. It is not enough to have your hands on the wheel and eyes on the road—your mind must be on the task at hand too.

To remain safe on the road, keep in mind the prevention tips outlined in this presentation and follow all policies regarding the use of company vehicles.

These steps can help prevent accidents and keep your family safe. Safe and alert driving can also greatly decrease your insurance premiums. Rather than spending that money on auto insurance, spend that money on your family road trips creating amazing memories.

Provided to you by TIG Advisors.