drivers ed unit 18
People who are likely to be distracted on or near the road include: Motorcyclists, bicyclists, and pedestrians Delivery persons looking for an address Construction workers Tourists, particularly at complicated intersections Drivers looking at a map or for a house number
Be especially careful when driving in places where children may be present. Children are especially likely to be distracted from what's going on around them. Watch carefully for children on cell phones crossing the street. These children look both ways 20% less often and take 20% longer to cross. Children on cell phones are up to 43% more likely to be hit by a vehicle.
If a passenger is distracting you, you must feel comfortable telling him or her to stop, even if you know that he or she will give you a hard time for doing so. If a passenger wishes to have an emotional discussion, ask him or her to wait until you're done driving. If he or she is insistent, pull over before having the conversation. If a passenger continues to be a nuisance even after you have asked him or her to stop, you must decide whether to pull over and ask him or her to get out of the car.
Children Child passengers can become restless easily, especially on long trips. Children can get anxious being stuck alone in the back of the car and may demand that you pay attention to them, as they won't understand your responsibilities as a driver. Don't turn around to communicate with or discipline a child while driving. If a child insists on attention, pull over to the side of the road. Keep books, games, or other activities in your car to help children fend off boredom.
It's impossible to eat or drink without taking at least one hand off the wheel. Moreover, if you try to eat a food that requires a utensil, there will be no way for you to steer your car safely. You may try to make it easier for yourself by steering with your elbows or by placing your food in your lap, but these strategies will only reduce your control and distract your attention further. Not only does the driver's seat make a poor dining room, but if you try to eat while you're in it, it won't be a good place to control your car, either!
Driving is difficult enough. Unwrapping food, screwing and unscrewing bottle caps, balancing your drink so it doesn't spill, leaning and reaching for food, wiping your mouth, holding a sandwich together, and switching between foods will only make things harder. Moreover, if you try to eat while driving, you may end up gulping down your food. To enjoy your meal, you must be able to focus on the flavors and textures in your mouth, not what's happening on the road ahead. What's the point of risking your life for a meal you won't even be able to savor?
The presence of a flying insect in your car can be especially distracting. An insect flying into your view or buzzing near your head can make it difficult to focus on driving, especially if it's an insect like a bee that could potentially injure you. However, if you try to kill it, you can end up distracted from the road for a considerable period. When there's an insect in your car, pull over to kill it or let it escape. Don't return to the road until you're sure your car is bug-free.
In addition to potential sources of distraction in your car, you can also be distracted by anything going on in the driving environment around you. This includes situations you must be aware of as a driver, including collisions, construction zones, and traffic control devices. If you become preoccupied with any one situation for too long, a reasonable amount of attention can quickly becoming a dangerous level of distraction. Only look at situations on the road for as long as is necessary to drive safely.
As we discussed earlier, even using the devices in your car can be dangerously distracting. Don't let yourself get into the habit of fiddling with knobs unconsciously: adjust these controls only when stopped. The stereo system in your car has the potential to be particularly distracting. While drivers will usually wait for a safe time to adjust the temperature or program the GPS, they tend to change radio stations or tracks whenever they feel like it.
Listening to the stereo while driving is not necessarily dangerous. Indeed, it can have many benefits, including: Lessening the monotony of driving with pleasant music and engaging programming Providing access to important news, including updates on weather and traffic conditions Keeping the driver's mind engaged so that his or her senses do not become dulled or fatigued
When you're distracted, your response and reaction time will be significantly slowed. Even a slight delay in reaction time is enough to make the difference between a near-crash and a fatal collision. Moreover, if you're distracted while traveling at high speeds, you're more likely to have problems staying in your lane, endangering yourself and others on the road.
The brain can potentially become overloaded even by the necessary multitasking you must perform as a driver. For instance, when you're focused on what your feet are doing, you'll be less able to process what's happening 20 seconds ahead of you on the road. Learning to manage your time and space and use your driver controls reflexively are crucial for minimizing the number of actions you'll need to perform. Whenever you have to shift your attention, you may miss something important on the road.
In 2013, 3,154 U.S. traffic fatalities (10% of all 2013 traffic fatalities) could definitively be attributed to driver distraction. Keep in mind that in many collisions, it's impossible to know whether the driver was distracted at the time of the crash. As a result, many distracted drivers may not be represented in these statistics. According to some estimates, driver inattention may be responsible for as much as 80% of all collisions in the United States.
To better understand how distraction affects drivers, the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute conducted a study on a sample of drivers in which each driver's actions behind the wheel were monitored by cameras and other sensors. Researchers found that distraction was a factor in approximately 23% of all collisions and near-collisions. This study allowed them to determine how much each distracting action increased the risk of a collision and what percentage of all distracted driving collisions could be attributed to that action.
The presence of passengers has the potential to become incredibly distracting. While passengers can help you in many situations, they can also divert your attention from the driving task, especially if they're behaving in a disruptive way. Remember, when you carry a passenger in your car, you're taking responsibility for his or her safety. This means that you must always drive in a way that will get you and your passengers to your destination safely, even if it means giving them less attention than they'd like.
A passenger can distract you by: Yelling or talking loudly, drowning out road noise and increasing your level of anxiety Arguing with you, bringing up a personal problem, or trying to deal with an emotional matter, diverting your attention from driving Eating while you're hungry, making it hard for you to concentrate Pointing out something on the side of the road that would require you to take your eyes off the roadway Partially hanging out the window or yelling at people outside your car Unexpectedly adjusting your stereo or other vehicle controls Second guessing your decisions or offering commentary on your driving
When drivers are in a hurry, they may decide to put off certain tasks they think they can complete behind the wheel. Frequently, drivers will wait until they're on the road to finish combing their hair or applying make-up because it's the activity they can most easily defer. Unfortunately, personal grooming is one of the most dangerous things you can do while driving. With your eyes on your mirror, your hand on a brush, and your attention on a stubborn cowlick, how will you be able to respond to a dangerous situation on the road?
All personal care tasks will distract your attention from the road: Shaving involves sustained use of at least one hand while looking at yourself in a mirror. You may drop your razor or cut yourself with a blade. Fixing your hair involves taking a hand from the wheel and moving it around your head in such a way that your view of the road will be limited. Brushing and flossing your teeth involves removing one or both hands from the steering wheel.
Because it doesn't involve any physical distraction, daydreaming can be especially dangerous behind the wheel. While most distractions can actively be avoided, when you're lost in thought, it may be some time before you realize that you've stopped paying attention to the driving task. If you find yourself zoning out, try jogging your attention by changing the radio station or opening the window. Make sure you don't let yourself get distracted by thinking about your plans or personal problems, a homework assignment, a funny incident, or anything else while driving.
Also be careful not to be distracted by a sneeze. Although there's rarely anything you can do to prevent a sneeze, it's important to realize how distracting a sneeze can be. When you sneeze, you won't be able to see the road or control your car properly. Don't drive if you have a cold or allergy that's causing you to sneeze excessively. If you feel a sneeze coming on that you can't suppress, try to move to a safe road position or increase the space around your car to reduce the risk of a collision.
Indeed, researchers have suggested that drivers are at a higher risk of a collision not only when they're on the phone, but also in the few minutes after they've ended the conversation. This suggests that the act of talking is less responsible for distracting drivers than is the driver's mental preoccupation with the content of the conversation. In other words, if you talk on a cell phone, you'll be distracted from driving even if you think you're paying attention to the road.
Another reason to avoid placing or taking calls when you're driving is that you can never know how a conversation will go. A single call can leave you too excited, anxious, or upset to drive safely. If you're dealing with an urgent situation or anxiously awaiting a call, don't drive! You'll be too distracted to drive even if you don't receive the call.
Pets Pets can also be especially distracting, especially if they're not restrained in a pet carrier or portable kennel. A roaming pet can block your view of the road, jump on your lap, rest under your feet, or otherwise distract or physically hamper you. Moreover, the experience of riding in a car can be very stressful for some animals and they may start making loud noises of distress. Only drive with a pet except when absolutely necessary, and make sure the pet is safely restrained before you begin to drive.
Any loose object in your car has the potential to become a distraction. An object on the dashboard, below a seat, or elsewhere in your car may be thrown into a dangerous position if you have to stop or turn abruptly. You may be tempted to reach for your phone or purse if it is sitting nearby. Trash or clutter in your car can prevent you from reaching important controls and can make it more difficult to concentrate on the road in general. If you have to reach for an object moving around the cab of your car, it can increase the chances of a crash or near-crash by up to nine times, making it one of the most dangerous distractions for a driver.
Exercise caution in complex risk environments. In high-speed traffic, limited visibility, and adverse weather conditions, you must be even more watchful for people not paying attention. Expect drivers to become distracted in urban areas or other places where there's a lot of activity going on. When you see a distracted person, slow down and give him or her some space. Consider how much you have to lose if you try to claim the right-of-way from someone who may not even notice you approaching.
As you review the information presented in this unit, consider how to incorporate the following topics into your driving plan. To reduce risk on the road, you must: Recognize how manual, visual, and cognitive inattention can affect your driving performance Stay away from your cell phone while driving to avoid the temptation to talk or text Perform tasks that could distract your attention like eating, grooming, and smoking at appropriate times rather than on the road Understand and minimize the influence of potential distractions in and outside of your car Respect other road users by maintaining an attentive attitude while anticipating mental lapses in others
Phone calls. Chatting. Eating and drinking. Combing your hair. Your car is not the right place for these activities. The only thing you should be doing when you're behind the wheel is driving.
Because we're so used to doing many things at once in our everyday lives, it can be easy to think that we're naturally wired to multitask. For instance, you may find it normal to study, check your email, listen to music, and eat a snack all at the same time. Indeed, multitasking is considered a valued skill throughout our culture, especially since people often feel like they don't have enough time for everything they'd like to. If it's so easy for us to do several things at once at other times, how bad can it be to do so while driving?
However, operating a stereo or music system can turn out to be more complicated—and dangerous—than it looks. Using a stereo or music player requires making a number of adjustments with controls that are small and difficult to manipulate while your car's in motion. Moreover, you may end up using them for more time than you intended if you can't find a song you like or the playlist you're looking for. One of the safest strategies you can adopt for listening to the stereo in your car is to accept what you're listening to. Who knows, you may even discover a new favorite song!
Before you get on the road, choose a radio station, CD, or playlist that you like. Make changes only when your car is stopped. If you're driving with a passenger, you can delegate responsibility for the stereo system to him or her. However, don't get into an argument about what you want to listen to. In cars that include stereo controls on the steering wheel, you should use these buttons exclusively to make adjustments while driving.
Resist the unseemly and dangerous practice of staring at the scene of a collision or other roadside drama even as you pass by it. Known as rubbernecking, this practice slows the flow of traffic and results in more collisions because it diverts drivers' attention from the road itself. As you scan the road, identify the site of any collision or other potentially hazardous situation in advance. Briefly glance at the hazard enough times to avoid it, but don't stare.
Beware of potholes or debris in the road such as shredded tires, fallen trees, and other objects on the road. Watch for any obstructions to your path of travel and adjust your driving to avoid them. Don't let the novelty or surprise of seeing a foreign object become a distraction. A safe driver must pay close attention to what surrounds his or her vehicle, but must also know when to stop looking at any one thing.
The same rules that apply to cell phones and portable electronic devices apply to laptops, computers, and any other gadget that would divert your attention from the road ahead. As cell phones become more like computers, they represent an even greater potential for distraction. The road is the wrong place for playing games, checking the internet, or finishing your homework on a phone or computer. If you have to look up an address or some other information, pull over first!
Even devices in your car can be dangerously distracting. These include: Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) systems, which should be set before you start your engine so you don't have to move your eyes or hands while you're driving Vehicle devices, including temperature controls, seat and mirror adjustments, and the dashboard display, which should be used only when your car is not in motion In-car video players, which should be visible and audible only to your passengers To use these devices, you'll have to divert your hands, your eyes, or your mind from driving.
Always eat before you get on the road. Even if you're picking up food to go and have to eat on the run, never try to eat while operating your car. You won't starve if you have to wait a few more minutes to eat, but you can die in a car crash in a matter of seconds. Keep the food in the back seat or the trunk to prevent you from getting tempted on the road. If necessary, find a safe place to park where you can eat at your leisure.
Everyone knows that smoking can kill you by damaging your lungs and other vital organs, including your brain, heart, and spine. Yet it's important to realize that smoking can also cause your death by distracting you behind the wheel. When you smoke, one of your hands will be constantly occupied with your cigarette, making it impossible for you to maintain control of your steering wheel with both hands.
For the most part, distracted driving is so easy to avoid that it is troubling how frequently it is the cause of fatal collisions. To remain consistently focused on the road, you must simply choose to ignore any potential source of distraction. If there is a situation you need to attend to urgently, pull over so you can give it the attention it deserves. When you drop something, hear a phone ring, or have to deal with a crying child, you might feel a reflexive or even panicked urge to respond without thinking about the situation. Take a deep breath, assess the situation, and, if necessary, get off the road to deal with the problem.
Get ready before you get in the car. Make sure you change your clothes, comb your hair, and finish eating before you begin to drive. If you're not prepared for an exam, don't try to cram while you're driving: a bad grade can teach you to plan ahead next time, but you won't be able to learn anything if you're dead. Even if you're waiting for a call so you can finish making plans, once you enter your car you need to set everything aside. If something is so urgent that it requires an immediate answer, pull over so you can devote your full attention to responding.
Don't let yourself get distracted when driving in an unfamiliar place. Use only brief glances to look for a street address. Avoid slowing down until you're nearing your destination. If you miss an address the first time, you'll only need to make a few extra turns to get back to the right place, but if you miss a hazard because you're staring at the side of the road, you won't have a second chance to avoid a collision!
If you're following another vehicle to your destination, make sure you don't fixate only on that car's bumper while ignoring the rest of the roadway. You may face different hazards than the other driver, and may fail to notice a problem if your attention is too narrowly focused. If you need to confer with the driver in the other car, pull over. Don't try to talk with them while you're both on the roadway.
Listening to the stereo can also impair your ability to hear what's happening on the road. Music can muffle or completely drown out road noise that you need to hear to evaluate the situation on the road. Set the volume before you begin to drive. Keep the volume at a moderate setting so you won't need to make adjustments if a loud song or commercial comes on. Before shutting your car down, make sure the volume remains low so it won't overwhelm you the next time you start your car.
It's extremely dangerous to cover your ears with headphones while driving, and illegal to drive with both ears covered by headphones. Headphones will completely impede your ability to hear the road. If you choose to use headphones while you drive, you must keep one ear uncovered.
Don't even consider interacting with electronic devices while you're driving. Driving requires 100% of your attention: there's simply no time to be looking at anything other than the road around you. When you have to look at your GPS screen or another system display as you drive, be sure to look away from the road only briefly. Remember, any time a task requires your attention for more than half a second, you should continue switching your focus between the task and the road until the task is completed.
It's not only digital technology that's dangerous. You may find it hard to believe, but some drivers attempt to operate their cars while reading a newspaper or a book. Some even attempt to use their phones to find an address with one hand while writing down directions with the other. In cases like this, it's no mystery why collisions happen: no one is driving the car! Reading and writing will distract you from driving, regardless of whether the technology you're using is as modern as a smart phone or as traditional as a pen and paper.
Every time you drive, you'll probably encounter some potential distraction, like an insect in your car, bright glare from the sun, or an unexpected event near the road. Make sure you're prepared to manage these distractions when they occur. As you become a more experienced driver, you'll begin to perform most driving tasks reflexively. If you don't develop an appropriately attentive attitude now, you'll only become more susceptible to distraction in the future.
Never expect everyone on the road to be paying attention. Even the most diligent drivers can be distracted occasionally. When you see someone being blatantly irresponsible (e.g. by eating, grooming, or texting behind the wheel), your focus should be on keeping yourself safe by increasing the distance between yourself and the other driver. It's not your job to teach someone else a lesson.
On the Road Ahead Understanding Driver Distraction Electronic Distractions Movie: AT&T—It Can Wait Other Inappropriate Driver Activities Distractions in Your Car Distractions in the Driving Environment Cultivating an Attentive Attitude Reducing Risk: Driving Plan/Unit Review
On the road, a second of inattention can mean the difference between life and death. When you look away from the road, you may look back up only to see a car about to hit you when it's too late to do anything about it!
Any non-driving activity that a driver engages in while operating a motor vehicle is considered a driver distraction. No matter what it is, when you're doing something other than driving, you're distracted from your responsibilities as a driver and more likely to become involved in a collision. Distractions are typically classified as one of three distinct types: Activities that cause you to take your eyes off the road are known as visual distractions. Activities that cause you to take your hands off the wheel are known as manual distractions. Activities that cause you to take your mind off of driving are known as cognitive distractions.
Several NHTSA studies have estimated that drivers engage in potentially distracting secondary tasks approximately 30% of the time their cars are in motion. Distractions that can lead to a collision include: Using an electronic device like a phone Actively interacting with your friends Eating or drinking Grooming yourself
Texting and e-mailing while driving are more widespread than you might think. A recent survey found that 52% of U.S. drivers between 18 and 29 years of age reported that they text or e-mail while driving "regularly" or "fairly often". Moreover, over 25% of these drivers reported texting or e-mailing while driving at least once in the past 30 days.
Simply reading a text message requires you to take at least one hand from the steering wheel and your eyes off the road. You will be even more endangered if you have to look around your car to retrieve your phone before using it. It should be obvious that composing a message is even more dangerous! Not only will your eyes and at least one hand be occupied by the act of typing the message, but you'll be focused on what you're writing rather than on the driving task.
Additionally, there is some evidence that cell phone use can limit your peripheral vision. One recent study concluded that: "Cell phone conversations tend to artificially constrict the peripheral awareness as measured by a visual field. This suggests that cell phone use while driving can decrease the perceptual visual field, making the driver less aware of the surroundings and more susceptible to accidents."
Some drivers incorrectly believe that it's safe to talk while driving as long as they use a hands-free cell phone. However: When you're having a conversation, you may direct your gaze at objects without being aware of what you're seeing, regardless of what technology you're using. The sound and connection quality of speaker phones can be poor, requiring you to devote more attention to making yourself clear and interpreting the person on the other end. Because drivers think they're safer with a hands-free device, they're more likely to ignore the effects of distraction.
Driving with passengers is especially dangerous for teens. Studies have shown that the greater number of similarly-aged passengers in a car, the more likely a collision is to occur. Indeed, research suggests that passengers only substantially increase the risk of a collision for drivers under 18. Remember, you may not drive with more than one passenger under 21 who is not a family member until you turn 18 or have held your provisional Texas drivers license for at least 12 months without a violation, whichever comes first.
Teenagers are especially likely to feel the desire to ignore safe driving strategies and act recklessly to impress other teenage passengers—even when no one asks them to. When you give in to peer pressure, you endanger yourself and your friends. Never visit with friends in other vehicles or let your passengers interact with people outside your car. You could become dangerously distracted or irritate other drivers if you try talking to someone in another vehicle.
Remember, until you turn 18, you're legally prohibited from using any wireless device such as a cell phone while driving. Additionally, it's illegal for any driver to use a handheld device when driving in a school zone whenever reduced speed limits are in effect. If a law enforcement officer sees you talking on a cell phone while driving, he or she may pull you over. If you cause a collision because you were talking on your cell phone, you will face more severe legal penalties.
There are many situations you might encounter while driving where you may legitimately need to use your cell phone. For instance, you may need to call law enforcement, emergency services, or roadside assistance. However, even in these situations, you should pull over before placing the call unless you'd endanger yourself or someone else in doing so. Remember, although it's legal for you to use a cell phone while driving to place an emergency call, you'll still be at a greater risk of a collision as long as you're using your phone.
In the past several lessons we have discussed a number of potentially risky situations that you will face as a driver. When you are behind the wheel, you must be able to: Anticipate the specific risks associated with different driving environments and adjust your driving appropriately for current conditions Understand the need to avoid risky driving behaviors like speeding, violating right-of-way, and tailgating Maintain a sufficient level of fitness to drive safely, including by never driving when you're dangerously fatigued Minimize the influence of emotions on your driving and take care not to drive aggressively Develop a strategy to eliminate potential sources of distraction and prepare for distracting situations on the road
To make sure you've done a good job reviewing this unit, you must now pass a test. The information in this unit is important: if you do not pass the test, you will have to take the entire unit over again. You can review as much as you wish. Simply return to your dashboard and select the topic you want to review. It is very important for you to review carefully and make sure you know how to reduce risk on the road by avoiding the extreme dangers of distracted driving. Do not press NEXT until you are sure you will pass the test.
Additionally, it's dangerous to try to operate a vehicle while handling a map, which can be physically awkward to deal with and difficult to read quickly. If you get lost and try to orient yourself while you're driving, you'll probably just stress yourself out more, and could end up in a collision. Before consulting a map, pull over to the side of the road. If you don't take your time finding a reliable route the first time, you may lose your way again. This is true whether you're using a fold-out map, your cell phone, or a GPS installed in your car.
Up Next: A Movie In a moment, you will watch a film on the dangers of texting and driving. Pay attention to the stories of the people you will see. None of them thought they would wreck their car while texting—they all believed that they could operate their car just fine. Right up until they lost control. We would like to thank AT&T for providing this film to help us teach young drivers about the dangers of texting while driving. You can find more resources provided by AT&T here, as well as a video of reactions of students who have just watched the movie you're about to see.
The NHTSA found that in 2013: Teenagers (between 15 and 19 years old) accounted for 244 (8%) of the 3,154 distracted driving deaths that occurred. 10% of all teens who died in collisions were killed in distracted driving crashes. 10% of drivers responsible for distracted driving deaths were teenagers.
Using your cell phone is one of the most dangerous things you can do while driving. Recent research suggests that: In 2013, 445 traffic fatalities (1% of all traffic fatalities and 14% of distracted driving fatalities) involved a driver using a cell phone. Using a hand-held or hands-free cell phone while driving will delay a driver's reactions as much as having a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08%. Drivers using cell phones devote 37% less brain activity to the task of driving.
Applying make-up requires far more precision control or attention to detail than you can afford while driving. You may try switching between different cosmetics, and if you hit a bump while applying eyeliner or mascara, you could seriously injure your eye. Adjusting jewelry or a tie will divert your attention from the road. Adjusting your contact lenses requires extreme care. If you drop a contact lens while driving, you'll either have to search for your missing lens or drive with blurry vision in one eye, both of which are very dangerous.
When driving, your eyes must be focused on the road ahead. As long as your vision remains focused on a point ahead of you, you won't have to refocus your eyes significantly when you use your mirror to see behind your car. To look at your own reflection, however, you must refocus your vision on a much closer object. Accordingly, when you look back to the road, it will take time before you can focus on anything adequately enough to notice a hazard on the road.
Moreover, tobacco is a drug that can influence your mental state and physical abilities. The chief psychoactive ingredient in tobacco is nicotine, a central nervous system stimulant that can cause shaking, restlessness, and compulsive movement. It can also lead to nervousness, anxiety, and distractibility. Cigarette smoke also contains carbon monoxide. If your windows are closed, the combination of carbon monoxide from your cigarette and your car's exhaust could cause you to become dangerously unfocused or fatigued.
When it comes to smoking, the safest thing you can do is avoid it altogether. The more you smoke, the more likely it is that you'll have to deal with lung cancer, emphysema, or other potentially fatal health complications in the future. However, even if you choose to smoke, resolve never to light up when you're behind the wheel. If you have to smoke, wait until you reach your destination.
In fact, recent research has demonstrated that multitasking is a myth: "Human brains do not perform two tasks at the same time. Instead... brains can juggle tasks very rapidly, which leads us to erroneously believe we are doing two tasks at the same time. In reality, the brain is switching attention between tasks—performing only one task at a time."
When trying to focus on more than one activity, your brain may become overloaded by the need to process information from two or more sources. Moreover, whenever you switch between tasks, your brain must spend time and energy redirecting its attention rather than thinking. The more information your brain has to sort at once, the more likely you are to suffer "inattention blindness" and miss important clues about the condition of the road. To be a safe driver, you must develop the mental discipline to remain focused on a single task as long as you're on the road.
Look at this picture as though you were a driver approaching the intersection. Try to memorize the details.
When your brain is forced to filter information due to overload, you won't be aware of the information that's been filtered out. Information won't be stored in your memory and you'll miss critical information about potential hazards. Look at the picture again. Certain details in this version have been omitted. Did you notice them? This is the kind of information you might easily miss if you're thinking about something other than driving.
Nevertheless, a recent survey found that 40% of U.S. drivers between 18 and 29 years old reported that they talk on their cell phones "regularly" or "fairly often" while driving. Additionally, 75% of these drivers reported talking on the cell phone while driving at least once in the past 30 days. You may think your cell phone is indispensable, but it's not. Ignoring your phone while driving is an extremely important part of being a safe driver.
Whether you're reaching for your phone, dialing a number, or having a chat, you're not focusing on driving. Even if you don't have to turn your eyes away from the road, your ability to monitor your surroundings, seek and identify potential hazards, and respond to unexpected situations effectively may be lessened. Conversing takes up considerable mental resources. In a conversation, you have to form and articulate your thoughts, listen to what another person is saying, and remember what you've already talked about and what you still want to say.
When you drive, leave your phone off so you're not tempted to use it except when absolutely necessary. If someone calls you about something important, they can leave a message. A true friend will understand that getting to your destination safely takes priority over a conversation you could have at any time. If you must use your cell phone, find a safe place to park before placing or taking a call. By taking a short break from driving, you can refresh your attention and motor control while you have your conversation.
While all distractions can endanger a driver's safety, texting can be particularly dangerous because it involves visual, manual, and cognitive distraction. Texting while driving is a national epidemic and considered as dangerous as drunk driving. The National Safety Council (NSC) estimates that up to 200,000 crashes a year could involve texting or e-mailing.
For all tasks not directly related to driving, use a mirror at home. Remember, your rear and side view mirrors were designed to help you see the areas behind and to the sides of your car, not to help you finish getting ready when you go out. Additionally, grooming is an activity that lends itself to frustration if you don't have the time and patience to do it properly. If you care about the results, you'll never attempt to groom yourself behind the wheel.
While most personal tasks you might perform behind the wheel involve some degree of visual or manual distraction, if you think you're only in danger when your hands are off the wheel or your eyes are off the road, think again. Indeed, even when you're maintaining a safe driving posture and performing visual search strategies properly you may be completely oblivious to what's going on around you. If you let your mind wander, you may end up looking all around you without seeing a thing.
Because some activities are carried out more frequently and for longer periods than others, the riskiest actions are not always responsible for the most collisions. For instance, while spending a minute dialing a phone was found to be more dangerous than spending a minute talking on the phone, both activities resulted in approximately the same number of collisions since drivers spent significantly more time talking than they did dialing. Accordingly, the NHTSA has concluded that no single distraction can be definitively identified as the most dangerous. Any time you're not 100% focused on the driving task, you're at an elevated risk of a collision.
While you're a novice, every driving task will take more time and concentration to perform than it will once you've acquired experience. Moreover, teens generally don't have the mental discipline needed to avoid becoming distracted by irrelevant situations. As a result, teen drivers are almost twice as endangered by distracted driving as are drivers in general. According to the NHTSA, in 2013: Among all licensed drivers, 14 out of every million were involved in a fatal distracted driving collision. Among licensed teenage drivers, 24 out of every million were involved in a fatal distracted driving collision.
Not only are cell phones often difficult to manipulate and hard to read quickly, but the constant motion of your vehicle will make it even more difficult to focus on your phone and keep it steady. It's hard to imagine a driving situation more dangerous than this. Even drunk drivers can remain somewhat focused on the driving task, but if you're reading or writing on a phone, you'll be completely oblivious to what's happening on the roadway.
Writing, sending, or reading text-based communication on a wireless communications device is illegal for drivers under 18 and all drivers when traveling inside a school zone. Additionally, some municipalities, including Austin, San Antonio, Galveston, and El Paso, have passed local laws prohibiting all drivers from texting or using their mobile devices on the road. Before getting on the road, be sure to find out if any laws concerning mobile device usage while driving are in effect where you live. You could face penalties of $500 or more if you are found violating a local mobile phone or texting law.
People often prefer to eat on the go, especially if they're feeling rushed. The profusion of fast food restaurants makes it easy to think that eating while driving can be safe, especially since you can just reach into your bag and grab some fries or a sandwich without taking your eyes from the road. This is a dangerous attitude. Remember, any time your eyes, hands, or thoughts are distracted from the driving task, you're at a greater risk of a collision. This is one crash diet that's definitely not good for you!
You may think that eating a few chips or taking a sip of soda behind the wheel can't be that dangerous. In fact: Greasy foods can make your hands slippery, impeding your ability to use vehicle controls. Spicy or flavorful foods may cause you to cough, sneeze, or sweat, making it harder for you to focus on the road. To drink a beverage, you may have to bring the cup or bottle to your lips, obscuring your vision. You may burn your mouth if you consume hot food or drinks while driving, making it difficult for you to focus on driving. If you drive over a bump or pothole, you may end up swallowing more of something than you intended or spilling something on yourself. Even the surprise of a little spill might cause you to veer off the road.
The highways of Texas pass through expansive vistas, picturesque communities, and bustling cities. Most of the things you'll see as you drive will have nothing to do with the driving task—and you can become distracted by any of them. Scenic views may be inspiring, but the beauty of a landscape doesn't make driver distraction any less dangerous. While you're staring at scenery, you could drift into another lane—or oncoming traffic.
You'll encounter many interesting as you drive that may capture your attention and make you forget to focus on the driving task. Don't become preoccupied looking at: Billboards: While some advertisements may make you think, they won't tell you anything that will help you prevent a collision. Exotic cars: Only pay attention to other cars to the extent necessary to drive safely. Animals: Unless their presence poses a threat to you, don't concern yourself with the activity of animals. Interesting buildings, landmarks, or events: Anything worth your attention is worth taking the time to stop for. People: Even when you're behind the wheel, it's not polite to stare at others.
