Distracted Driving

Anything that takes the driver's attention off the road is a distraction. Some common distractions include eating, reading, drinking, changing a CD, talking on a cell phone, applying make-up, reaching for something in the vehicle, or looking at something away from the roadway.

For young drivers, some common distractions include driving and/or riding with friends or yelling out the window.

Did You Know: Distracted driving is a factor in 1 out of 4 crashes nationally.

Warning Signs and What to Do

Becoming distracted while driving is not that hard to do. Sometimes, distracted drivers may not even know they have been distracted, resulting in dangerous behavior just as running a red light at an intersection.

A key warning sign to watch for is when you notice that you are not focused on the roadway or the vehicles around you. Are you paying too much attention to the cell phone or radio and not enough attention to the road?

Tips

1. Focus only on driving.
2. Have a passenger do the other activities of answering the cell phone, changing the CD, etc.
3. The safest time to use your cell phone in the car is when you reach your destination and have stopped.
4. Make adjustments to your vehicle's mirrors, air conditioning, etc., before you hit the road or while the vehicle is not moving.

Zerofatalities.com Video Gives Chilling Message of Hazards Involved with Distracted Driving

I just finished watching a video at Zerofatalities.com that told the story of a young man who, while on his way to work one morning, learned an important lesson while paying a tragic price. The video is well worth the time to watch. We all need to be aware of the dangers of talking on cell phones or texting while driving. These suggestions may seem obvious, but they will help make us all safer on the road and will save lives.

View the video here.