Distracted drivers have been a public safety concern for decades. There's always something to distract drivers, and now with cellphones, the distraction is much flashier. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2017 over 3,000 people were killed in vehicle accidents involving distracted drivers.
Most of the distracted driving is due to texting or cell phone usage, but several things can distract drivers. These reasons could be eating, drinking, reading, and brushing your teeth. Even children arguing in the back seat can be enough of a distraction to cause an accident.
Here are some tips to help you avoid distracted driving.
- Avoid Texting - Avoid texting and limit phone calls to short, quick, and only via blue tooth.
- Put Your Phone Away - If you can't see your phone, the notifications and alerts won't tempt you to pick it up.
- Don't Take Notes - If you need to write something down, pull over. Don't attempt to write things down while driving, even in stopped traffic.
- Don't Eat or Drink - Spills, both hot and cold, can easily cause an accident. If you have to stop short, hot food could spill and cause burns.
- Leave Personal Grooming for Private - Shaving, putting on makeup, combing your hair, or other forms of grooming are distractions and should be done at home, not while driving.
Source: www.iii.org