Distracted driving isn’t just “one of those things” that happens, like a tire blowout or mechanical failure that isn’t anyone’s fault. It’s 100% preventable – and by committing to avoiding distractions while you drive, you’ll help make the road safer for everyone.
We most often hear that texting and driving being distracted driving, but it is far more. Do you realize that distracted driving has been happening for decades? Most people don't think about switching music being a distraction. In the 1970's it was changing 8-tracks; in the 80's it was changing cassettes; in the 90's, it was changing CDs; and now, it is scrolling through music on your phone or...
Even though we know better, many of us have driven when we should be resting. Whether it’s been a long day at the office or we’re out late at night, driving while drowsy can be disastrous. In fact, it may be even worse than driving under the influence, depending on how tired you are. According to the National Highway Transportation and Safety Administration (NHTSA), over 56,000 accidents per...
Continuing our series of Driving Tips Ways to Keep Your Teen Driver Safe As a parent, one of the most nerve-wracking things that you can experience is letting your child on the road as a driver. No matter how much practice he or she has had, and no matter how well he or she did on the driving test, it’s still going to put a pit in your stomach. Thus, it’s imperative that you go over proper...
This month, we talked about avoiding common driving practices that are very dangerous. Here's a list to all 10 parts plus the supplemental article. Part 1: Reading While Driving Part 2: Avoid Texting While Driving Part 3: Driving with your Knees Part 4: Driving with Something or Someone in your Lap Part 5: Driving with Headphones Part 6: Changing Clothes or Applying Makeup Part 7: Grabbing...
(Series: 10 Dangerous Practices to Avoid While Driving) Here’s a few statistics about distracted driving from a 2014 review published in The New England Journal of Medicine. Dialing a cell phone increases the risk of a crash by 8X. Reaching for a cell phone increases the risk of a crash or near crash by 7.02X. Sending or receiving text messages increases the risk of crash by 3.82X. Reaching for...
(Series: 10 Dangerous Practices to Avoid While Driving) It’s common for drivers to get upset. Many times a person is distraught in some way before they even enter their car – a disappointment occurred, an argument happened, a trauma was experienced. Road rage is not just getting upset at another driver. All a motorist needs to do is be in a negative mindset. Driving with a negative mindset...
(Series: 10 Dangerous Practices to Avoid While Driving) Eating some chips or a piece of fruit may not cause an accident for most people as long as retrieving the food does not mean grabbing for something out of reach. However, if your teen is inexperienced or has a learning disability, the risk of a crash increases almost 3X over those who did not eat. The distraction could happen when they...
(Series: 10 Dangerous Practices to Avoid While Driving) You are driving down the road and your stomach grumbles. “I’ve got a granola bar in my backpack in the back seat.” You reach back to a pack that is just barely at the tip of your fingers. If you just turn and reach back a little farther… That’s bad news. Several things are happening. Your mind is distracted from driving and what is...
(Series: 10 Dangerous Practices to Avoid While Driving) There’s an old saying: “It’s a car crash waiting to happen.” That proverb applies easily when a person is trying to change clothes while driving. It involves taking your hands off the steering wheel, interrupts your foot’s contact with the brake or gas pedal, and obscures your eyes from seeing the road. The risk is increased...
