(ThyBlackMan.com) Thousands of drivers and passengers die in car accidents every year and many of these accidents are caused by distracted driving. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines three different categories of distracted driving: visual, manual, and cognitive. Visual distractions are those that take the drivers’ eyes off the road, manual distractions occur when you take your hands off the wheel, and cognitive distractions happen when people are thinking about other things and aren’t paying attention.
Thankfully, all three of these forms of distracted driving can be prevented and it’s never too late for even experienced drivers to learn new ways of keeping themselves safe behind the wheel. Read on to find a few tips that can improve any driver’s safety.
Avoid Electronic Distractions
Texting while driving has become a serious problem, which is why many states have actually passed laws that prohibit using hand-held electronic devices while operating motor vehicles. If you feel like you might be tempted to check those emails or text messages against all advice, take added steps to prevent yourself from doing so. You can give your phone to a friend sitting in the back seat, for example, or if you’re driving alone, you could put it on airplane mode.
This isn’t just a matter of following the law. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), accidents caused by distracted drivers took 3,450 lives in the year 2016 alone. No matter how skilled drivers are, they should never give in to the temptation to use their phones or other hand-held devices while driving.
Plan in Advance
Many modern vehicles feature built-in GPS, complicated multi-area climate control, and high-quality sound systems. All adjustments to these and other integrated systems should be made before setting out, including choosing a route to the intended destination and checking traffic conditions if GPS is being used. This will help to avoid all three forms of distracted driving. If you find that you need to make a change of plans and look up a new address in your GPS, it’s always better to pull off the road than to do so while driving.
Ask Passengers to Help
Not all distractions come from outside influences. If you’re transporting passengers, make sure they understand the importance of not distracting you while you drive. Make sure that children and pets are secured safely prior to leaving, as well. It’s never a good idea to reach into the backseat while driving.
Store Loose Gear
Don’t just leave old coffee cups, kids’ toys, and other possessions loose on the floor. Not only can they wind up getting in the way of your feet as you drive, which could cause a potentially very serious accident, but they can also lead to manual distractions. If you had loose items rolling around on your floor prior to an accident but it didn’t cause the crash, you should find legal help after accident to prevent the other party from blaming you.
The Take-Away
The bottom line is that if you follow the tips laid out above, you’ll be less likely to get into an accident caused by your own distracted driving. There are still other drivers on the road, though, and there’s no way to control their actions. Just try to drive defensively, avoid distractions, and pay attention to the road.
Staff Writer; Walter Jacobs