As a driver on a road trip, you have responsibilities. You must obey the speed limit and follow all other traffic laws as well. Some drivers obey virtually all traffic laws, but they let things distract them while driving.
2019 saw distracted driving injure 400,000 American motorists, and similar numbers occur most years.
We will discuss distracted driving right now. You must avoid it when you are on the road since it potentially endangers yourself, anyone in the car with you, and those around you.
What Does Distracted Driving Entail?
Distracted driving injures so many because this blanket term covers so many behaviors. If you’re driving and anything besides the road ahead commands your attention, you’re not following recognized best driving principles.
Some cars have safety systems in place now that combat distracted driving. They make noises that get your attention again if they sense you’re taking your eyes off the road.
However, you can only find these systems if you buy high-end cars. Not everyone can afford them, and distracted driving occurs frequently throughout America.
Things that Might Distract You
If you’re driving and you have someone in the car with you, they might distract you. Imagine you’re driving, and you have a passenger in the seat close by. Maybe that’s your spouse or partner. Perhaps you have a friend or relative there.
They’re talking, and you find the conversation interesting. You glance over, or maybe you make some counterargument.
They’re distracting you now. Whether you’re finding their story engrossing or you’re arguing, you’re not keeping your eyes pointed forward.
You might also have some kids in the backseat. If you have toddlers or kids who cry or make noise, they might distract you. You must keep your eyes pointed forward, even if your children make noise. When you pull over, you can look back, but till you’ve turned off the car, you must ignore them.
Additional Distractions
You might let the radio distract you. You may have satellite radio these days. You have so many stations, and you can choose between them.
If a song comes on that you don’t like, you might change the station, but when you do, you must keep your eyes facing forward. If you look down and see the different stations while you’re switching through them, you’re distracted.
Smartphones distract drivers probably more than anything else, though. Virtually everyone carries them these days, even older individuals.
If you have your phone on you while driving, you might get a text message, or maybe someone calls you. You think it’s something important, so you answer. Now, you’re driving with one hand, or you’re glancing down. If you respond via text, you’re risking collisions, especially if you’re on the highway driving faster than usual.
Food and Drinks
You might love visiting drive-through locations around your neighborhood. Maybe you enjoy Wendy’s or McDonald’s. If you get your favorite meal, though, perhaps that distracts you.
You can get a treat or a meal, but you must wait till you get home before you eat it. Maybe sipping a drink won’t distract you too much, but if you bite into a burger, you can’t very well merge into heavy traffic on the freeway without risking collisions.
Billboards and Other Ads
You might notice a new ad campaign around the city. Maybe your local personal injury attorney has some provocative ads on bus stop benches and billboards.
Most billboard companies design their locations thinking about your sightline. You can’t completely ignore these billboards since they’re right where you’re looking.
You can’t block them out entirely, but you must take them in using your peripheral vision. You might notice them, but you shouldn’t turn your head completely and ignore the road. When you do, you’re distracted.
The best drivers don’t let anything distract them. They focus primarily on the road. When stimulation surrounds them, they’re aware, but their vision never wavers. They remain focused and never risk crashing.
If you avoid crashes, your insurance premiums never go up, and you always arrive safely. You let the kids reach soccer practice without incident, and you reach work safely as well.
Safe drivers don’t always get the recognition they deserve, but they help society function. They take a responsibility seriously, and they have the right priorities.
