Updated April 1, 2020
Driving distractions come in many forms, and many of them are already in the spotlight. A very common distraction, for example, refers to texting while driving. According to Zebra, close to 30% millennials are confident they can multitask. However, The National Safety Council reported that cell phone use while driving causes 1.6 million crashes each year.
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While these figures represent a huge threat to novice or experienced drivers, there are other distractions to endanger our safety on the road. While some are visual, others are manual and cognitive like emotional stress or financial problems.
Below you’ll find 5 driving distractions that are as dangerous as “talking over the phone” while on the road.
#1 Zoning out while driving
Zoning out refers to stop paying attention for a short period of time. Such distraction may last long enough to get involved in a crash.
According to a recent study, 62% of distracted drivers involved in car accidents relate their lack of focus to a distraction.
Think about it. You may be staring at the road but your mind may be focusing on something unrelated to your primary task of driving.
#2 Eating or drinking while driving
Have you missed breakfast or lunch? While multi-tasking is a privilege at work, you cannot take such skill to your driving.
Drinking and eating requires concentration. You need to open the lid from the bottle to drink water, or you need to unwrap your burrito before consumption.
Those few seconds it takes to handle your food items could be enough to put yourself at risk. Hence, you either eat your meal before you hit the road or after you reach your destination.
#3 Adjusting in-car safety features
Sometimes in-car features can ruin our safety in the moment we least expect it.
From adjusting your seatbelt to fixing your mirror, your brain stops engaging with the road increasing your chances of crashing.
That’s the reason why you need to adjust your in-car features prior to the start of your trip. Make sure you are wearing your seatbelts adequately. And adjust your side and rear mirrors according to your needs before hitting the road.
#4 Smoking while driving
While there is no formal legislation that forbids smoking while driving, holding a cigarette with one hand endangers your safety.
Like eating/drinking while driving, you cannot be in control of your car when neglecting the steering wheel.
The basic idea of driving is to hold the steering wheel with both hands. It appears that smoking is not only detrimental to your health, but also impacts your safety on the road.
#5 Adjusting climate and volume controls
According to recent findings, 2% of distracted drivers affirmed that they were involved in car accidents owing to the use of volume and climate controls.
By adjusting the volume of your playlist or turning on the AC, you stop focusing on the road ahead which increases your chances of crashing.
For that reason, make sure you take a proactive approach. Before you start your trip, explore your car features for a comfy drive to minimize potential distractions.
Distracted driving is a major concern in the US owing to the increasing number of distractions today.
Though you can still find ways to remain 100% focused on the road. Have you heard of any other distraction? Feel free to let us know in the comments below.
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