Imagine you’re driving to the grocery store. It’s not that far, and you need to make the trip quick because you have to be back home for a virtual conference call. You’re thinking about what you need to buy, and you’re checking your phone for updates on your meeting.
Without even realizing it, you’ve arrived at the store and you have no memory of the trip. This is a common experience for any driver who is distracted behind the wheel. And it can be far more dangerous than you realize.
Yes, it really is dangerous
Because driving is such a routine task, people often forget they are operating a powerful, complicated machine weighing thousands of pounds. And the advanced technological features can give people a false sense of security.
Thus, drivers forget the massive damage cars cause in a crash. They often think nothing of picking up a phone to text or digging in the backseat for a piece of gum while they drive 60 miles an hour down the highway.
But when you look at this from another perspective, it becomes clear how dangerous distraction is. After all, drivers probably would never think of taking their hands off the wheel and closing their eyes while driving down the highway.
However, this is essentially what distracted drivers are doing when they pick up a phone, mess with the radio or take their attention away from the road.
Avoid distraction, get home safely
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, inattention is the reason why more than 2,800 people died in a car crash in 2018.
Drivers can avoid becoming part of this devastating statistic by taking these steps to avoid distraction:
- Putting phones somewhere you cannot reach them
- Pulling over to tend to a child’s needs in the backseat
- Reviewing a route before getting on the road
- Refraining from eating or grooming in the car
- Utilizing voice-activation to play music or make a phone call
- Limiting the number of passengers in the vehicle
When drivers eliminate distractions in their car, they are protecting themselves and others on the road.