Injuries from motor vehicle collisions can be catastrophic and cause lasting damage.
Taking proactive steps to avoid distracted driving can lessen your chances of causing a distracted driving accident and increase your chances of avoiding one caused by others.
1. Do not use your phone
Our phones are incredibly useful in our daily lives. Because we use them so frequently and on instinct, it is easy to forget the dangers they pose while driving. When you make a call, read or send a text, check for directions or send an email while driving, you divert your attention from the road. Turn your phone to silent mode or put it out of your reach to avoid the temptation.
2. Snack wisely
Ideally, you should forgo all eating and drinking while driving as the act of reaching for your snacks is a distraction from your focus. Realistically, it is unreasonable to expect people to go without. If you must eat or drink while driving, prepare your snacks before starting your vehicle so that they are easy to reach, simple to handle and do not require you to look away from the road.
3. Use your passengers
Whenever you have passengers in your car, use them to your advantage. Allow them to control the radio, use any necessary devices and hand you snacks when needed.
At all times while driving, your eyes should be on the road in front of you while also looking out for the other vehicles around you. It takes careful attention and concentration to keep everything going on around you in focus. You cannot react to something you do not see on the road. If you are looking elsewhere in your vehicle you may miss an easily avoidable hazard.
