Five Ways to Avoid Distracted Driving

Distracted driving is one of the leading causes of car accidents in Kansas and the United States. It is each driver’s responsibility to avoid distraction while driving, but that is not always easy. There are plenty of potential distractions just waiting to take a driver’s eyes off the road. Here are five ways to avoid potential distractions while driving.

1. Use Your Cellphone Only For EmergenciesIt seems that we cannot live without our cellphones. They are – quite literally – attached to our hips. That does not mean you should use them behind the wheel – or even check a text message or a missed call. Sprint has recently released an app that allows your phone to send a text message to anyone who calls or texts you while you are driving alerting them to the fact that you are driving and will get back to them later.
2. Don’t Drive If You Are TiredDriving tired is not something that just happens on long road trips. It can happen during the middle of the day or as you are driving to or from work. If you feel tired, pull over. Don’t be afraid to get out of the car and do some jumping jacks or grab a bottle of water. Looking silly on the side of the road is better than waiting for a tow truck to pull your car out of a ditch, and you will look pretty silly doing that too – it just costs more.
3. Don’t Drive with Noisy PassengersPassengers can be distracting. In an ideal world, you wouldn’t drive with distracting people, but sometimes we don’t have a choice. Your children can be distracting – even when they mean well. Make sure your children – and other passengers – understand the importance of letting the driver drive while they are in the car.
4. Don’t Eat and DriveIf eating and driving was so bad, why do they have drive-thrus? Well, you can also buy single cans of beer in a convenience store, but nobody thinks drinking a beer while driving down the road is a good idea. Personally, I think it’s much more enjoyable to sit down and eat my hamburger rather than get ketchup on my tie, but even if I didn’t, I wouldn’t eat while I was driving. It’s just too dangerous.
5. Don’t MultitaskThis is a catchall category. Don’t multitask. Don’t fiddle with the radio. Don’t read the newspaper. Don’t put on your makeup. Don’t shave with a straight razor. Don’t do anything but drive. It’s that simple. If you are behind the wheel, your complete focus should be on the road in front, beside and behind you.
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