Distracted Driving Awareness Month is a special reason for every citizen to reflect about the risks of distracted driving.
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With so much distraction going on in our lives, distracted driving has become a widespread issue, today more than ever.
Know that things happen, in fact, nobody is perfect as everyone is vulnerable to any sort of distraction while on the road.
Since April represents a great opportunity for distracted driving awareness, we would like to share some ideas that could help you drive safely.
Put your phone down unless you are in the middle of an emergency
Let’s put things on perspective. By using your phone only in an emergency, we refer to critical situations in which you’ll need to safely stop your vehicle and make that important call that could save your day.
Say, for example, you need to call someone about any incident that could delay a potential meeting because of unexpected traffic congestion.
Nobody should take a call or respond to a text while driving along the road. Even hands-free devices affect our focus on the road.
Avoid drowsy driving at all cost
Sleep deprivation is a major cause of car accidents and it can impair the human brain as much as any other drug can.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported in 2017 that drowsy driving accounted for 1.4% of all police-reported crashes, 2% of crashes resulting in injuries, and 2.4% that resulted in death from 2011 to 2015.
If you feel tired, refrain from hitting the road. Your safety comes first.
Reduce the number of passengers inside a vehicle
This advice applies more to teenagers who tend to get easily distracted by the number of passengers and the amount of things going on inside the car.
Note that some states do not allow teenagers to have teenage passengers during the early months of driving without supervision.
In California, for example, teens are not allow to have passengers younger than 20 years old, with limited exceptions for immediate family members.
SEE ALSO: How To Teach A Teen To Drive (Tips For Parents)
Eating while driving is way too risky
Believe it or not, eating while driving is a big risk for any driver.
A British study has found that handling food while on the road can cause an attention overload, doubling the risk of a car accident.
Trying to save time by eating while driving increases the chances of getting involved in a car accident. It’s another typical example of distracted driving, which must be stopped.
Complete any other task before and after reaching your destination
It appears that people are using their vehicles for other multi-tasking activities, say making important calls or even text messaging.
As efficient as you may look, always avoid doing those tasks while on the road.
If you have to handle other relevant tasks, do them before hitting the road and/or after reaching your destination.
It’s your duty as a driver to focus on the road and your surroundings.
Is your vehicle covered by auto insurance?
April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month and there’s no reason why you shouldn’t be covered by auto insurance.
Accidents happen everyday and drivers are more distracted than ever.
If you are looking for auto insurance, click here to help you get the policy that best suits your budget and needs.
