Chapter 8: Distractions Inside and Outside the Vehicle

loose objects

Objects hanging from rearview mirrors could move and fall due to sudden stopped or turned taken too quickly this is same for items that are put on top of the dashboard or the rear window ledge *projectiles*: flying objects that could be a hazard to a driver or passenger before driving you should clear all areas of loose objects by securing them or placing them so that they can't move around and become distractions or projectiles

food and drink

eating or drinking while driving can create Visual and biomechanical distractions drivers might look at their food instead of the road and when they remove their hands from the wheel to hold the food or drink, they leave only one hand to control the steering wheel in extreme cases drivers have been seen driving along with hands holding food and drink items

animals and insects

a driver who is allergic to bee stings night panic and focus all attention to art instead of on the road ahead and surrounding traffic BEFORE DRIVING: check to see if there are any insects in the vehicle and deal with them before you start driving WHILE DRIVING: if you notice a b or insect you should stay calm and look for a spot to safely pull out of traffic and stop; then deal with the Bee or insect *large animals*: that move around can distract drivers and even block their View holding a pet while driving is not only unsafe but it also places the pet at high risk of being injured or killed if you do crash

vehicle equipment or controls

advancements in technology have resulted in many different systems and components for vehicle safety, Comfort, information, control, and entertainment these advancements have *also created increased opportunities for driver distraction* drivers who are unfamiliar with new controls and displays can easily overwhelm themselves with cognitive distractions many of today's vehicles are equipped with Video Entertainment System and some states have laws that prohibit any visible video displays within the view of the driver elaborate vehicle sound systems have volume capabilities that hinder a driver's ability to hear other vehicles and can create an audible distraction to people outside of the car in some communities local ordinances don't allow very loud volume levels responsible drivers keep their sound systems down to levels *at which they are able to hear other vehicles around them and do not distract others* although vehicle navigation systems provide drivers with information about a vehicle's position and gods drivers to destinations, it is a source of potential distraction driver's is focus can be diverted because they look at the screen, listen to directions, or try to input data into the system while driving passengers can help reduce distraction *by becoming an extra set of eyes and ears when using a vehicle's navigational system*

other distractions

animals are insects that fly into your car, eating and drinking, and even passengers can create distractions

animals outside the vehicle

animals, birds, reptiles, and many other creatures have the potential to be distractions even when they don't pose any hazards to a driver's path of travel when drivers experience a situation involving an animal or bird that they rarely see they might take their eyes off the road for longer than a quick glance is there something you would like to get a better look at, look for a safe place to pull off out of traffic and stop your vehicle and then take time to appreciate the view or take a picture

hazards

distraction such as reaching to pick up a cell phone, making or receiving a call, and sending or receiving a text message or common with cell phone usage in particular carrying a conversation on a cell phone while driving causes a lack of focus on the driving task since *your attention is on the conversation* conversations can be a cognitive distraction many drivers unknowingly reduce their vehicle speed while they are talking on the cell phone and this can cause conflict if the vehicles behind are driving at the speed limit (especially at night) as awareness of the hazards of cell phone usage while driving has increased, efforts have been made to reduce driver distraction educating the public about this Hazard the cell phone usage while driving, the introduction of hands-free technology and even legislation in some states outlawing non-emergency cell phone usage while driving are *some of the efforts being made to promote low-risk driving*

Distractions inside the vehicle

driver distractions or inattentive driving are estimated to play a part in ¼ motor vehicle crashes this means that drivers who are distracted or a factor in 1.5 million collisions each year, and more than 4,300 crashes each day in the US the *AAA foundation for traffic safety* suggest that when a driver's eyes are away from the driving scene ahead for more than 2 seconds, the odds of being in a crash or near-crash is doubled

distractions outside the vehicle

it takes commitment and constant effort to stay focused on the driving task outside the vehicle distractions are *often more difficult to deal with than inside the vehicle distractions* what's inside the vehicle distractions you have more control of the environment, situation, and passengers however you have little if any control over people, objects, or events outside the vehicle

variable electronic message sign (VMS)

provide drivers with traffic information including traffic congestion information, estimated travel times to certain locations, and possible alternative traffic routes also used to display Amber Alert information

passengers

the behavior of passengers can easily distracted driver yelling or Screaming, engaging and loud or emotional conversation, turning up the sound system volume, or tossing objects around inside the vehicle can easily divert a driver's attention away from the road if a passenger becomes disruptive and the behavior continues after asking them to stop you should pull over safely and stop the vehicle to resolve the situation *before getting back into traffic* research has been shown that young and new drivers are more likely to be distracted by their peers in a vehicle while driving then the older and more experienced drivers as the number of passengers increases so does the likelihood of driver distraction and the risk of being involved in a crash

crash and fire scenes

there are two major forms of distraction associated with crash scenes: *1)* gawking: when a person stares *2)* rubbernecking: when a person continually looks all around the scene if you ever come upon a long line of backed up traffic at a crash scene you may notice how drivers often proceed past 16 very slowly, gawking at the car crash before finally accelerating back to the highway speed Their gawking is often what causes the traffic backlog, not the actual crash gawking that *causes a traffic backlog is often a major cause of rear-end collisions* drivers coming onto the scene suddenly are unable to slow and stop before crashing into the vehicle ahead a large fire is a dynamic scene that requires a lot of personnel and equipment; within the first few minutes after a large fire has been identified the traffic around there then becomes very chaotic things like this might include drivers striving to get out of the way or police vehicles that are trying to help create a traffic perimeter around the area emergency vehicles arriving and getting into position help create confusion and congestion people may also wander into an emotionally overwhelmed state making them unaware of the dangers around them

cell phones

were once considered a luxury item but are now used by a substantial majority of Americans why are some people use cell phones only for making calls, many newer versions also act as multimedia systems that can take and share photos, send and receive text messages, act as a GPS system, and access the internet as the usage and capabilities of cell phones increase the potential for driver distractions also increase

objects outside the vehicle

while driving you might come across some unusual objects on or outside the road such as the breed that has fallen off of vehicles, signs and billboards, parked in disabled cars, an emergency vehicle in many cities electric traffic information science are installed or temporarily placed close to the road these signs and boards are placed in such locations to *reduce the distance you need to move your eyes and head to read their messages* the messages displayed are short yet informative, reducing the likelihood they will present a driving distraction while allowing drivers to read them emergency vehicles are common distractions to drivers, as drivers take their attention away from their immediate path of travel to see the emergency vehicle if there are passengers you should ask them to help you find the emergency vehicle because this allows you to maintain focus on the driving scene ahead

public events

you must pay attention to traffic ahead and your sides, and pay attention to the crowds and their actions which are a source of potential hazards and conflicts to your path of travel events can also create visual distractions to drivers who take their eyes off the roadway and try to look at what's happening on the field looking out at a soccer field for example could distracted driver long enough to avoid noticing and being able to react to pedestrians or car is pulling out of a parking spot to enter the traffic flow *as a driver you should try to stay focused on the roadway and driving task ahead; don't allow yourself, your actions, or your vehicle to become a distraction to others*