Reading a text message for five seconds at 55 mph means you are looking down at your phone for the length of a football field. A lot can happen in that distance.
You’re driving your usual route to work this morning, and after years of following the same roads, parking in the same spot, the journey has become almost completely automatic. Your brain is on autopilot, letting your hands and feet do all the work. While your mind wanders, you turn up the radio, check your phone, and take a bite of a snack. You’re competent and you’re following all the rules: no hand-held phone conversations, no texting while driving, and you’re certainly not driving under the influence of any substances.
And yet, even following all these rules of the road, you’re still placing yourself in danger. It’s called cognitive distraction. It happens in those moments when you allow your mind to wander, and it’s a major cause of motor vehicle injuries and deaths. In 2015, distracted driving caused 3,477 deaths and 391,000 injuries, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Be safe on the road every day – keep yourself focused on driving by following this checklist:
- Set up your radio and navigation system before leaving the parking lot. Enter your destination and pick your favorite station while you’re at a standstill, instead of waiting until you’re on a busy road.
- Turn your phone on silent. Never let pesky text messages and emails creep into your peripheral vision while you’re on the road! It can wait until you’ve stopped your car. Even hands-free conversations can be incredibly distracting, so try and keep those to a minimum as well.
- Don’t eat while driving. You may have a busy day, but don’t let that be an excuse for eating breakfast while cruising on the highway.
- Remind yourself of the responsibility of driving. As an experienced driver, it’s easy to become complacent. Remind yourself of the dangers and consequences of distracted driving. The lives of pedestrians, cyclists, passengers and other drivers depend on your concentration behind the wheel.
- Talk about the dangers of distracted driving. If you see someone you love checking their phone or playing with the radio while driving, remind them of the many dangers associated with those actions.
Your safety and that of those around you depends on good driving behavior. That means focusing on the road and not letting your eyes, hands, or thoughts drift away.
It’s also important to remember that your behavior can influence others. Though they may not be driving for many years to come, your child in the back seat observes how you navigate traffic and react to aggressive driving. They may also notice if you look at your phone twice over the course of a 10-minute drive.
Set a good example for those around you and keep yourself safe on the roads every day by keeping your hands, eyes, and mind in the car at all times.
For more information on distracted driving, visit these sites:
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