Distracted driving – It’s not just your cell phone
While the technology has allowed us to stay connected more than ever before but it has also produced the distracted drivers more than ever before. Distracted driving is one of the most serious concerns of roadways safety. Although some distractions are unavoidable but there are some actions that can be taken to avoid the possible distractions and can be used for keeping the focus on road.
According to the survey, there is accumulating evidence that 25% of all the vehicle crashes are because of driver distraction and driver inattention. Moreover, it has also been proved that distracted drivers are two times to 48 times more likely to get into the collision. The average time that a person looks down at his cell phone to text or email while driving is equivalent to the length of the entire football field at the speed of 55 mph with one’s eyes closed. The drivers that use their cell phones are reported to involve in 18% of fatal car crashes.
It is very important to understand the types of distraction. Distraction can be visual, Cognitive or manual. Visual distraction are the distractions that make you take your eyes off the road such as inputting an address in the GPS, placing a call, or reading a text while Cognitive distraction can be referred to anything that removes your mind from the task of driving, such as answering an incoming call, frustration with traffic or other drivers, or even daydreaming. Manual distraction requires you to take your hands off the wheel such as picking up something you drop, eating, grooming, or plugging in a power adapter.
Another possible distraction that can prove to be fatal is the external distractions such as rubbernecking as you approach an accident, window-shopping as you pass a mall, or looking at the scenery. The key to avoiding distraction is to stay focused on roadways and familiarize yourself with the vehicle’s system before setting off the road.
Stay safe and focused on roadways to avoid unpleasant incidents.
