When I was learning to drive in the late 2000s, we spent quite a bit of time talking about texting and driving in my driver’s ed course. iPhones hadn’t really found their way to my rural high school yet--most of us were still lugging around flip phones, digital cameras, and iPod Shuffles everywhere we went. But even then, teens and adults were often guilty of texting and driving. Sixteen percent of fatal crashes in the US in 2009 (i.e., the year I got my license) involved reports of distracted driving.
I was an extremely cautious teen driver. I never texted (even though I was a T9 predictive text pro), and my friends often teased me about how I always kept two hands on the steering wheel. I didn’t even like to take calls while on the road. I followed all the rules my driver’s ed instructor taught when it came to cell phones and driving; but that didn’t mean I was never distracted.
Not long after I earned my full Ohio driver license, I borrowed my mom’s car to run some errands. After grabbing an overpriced coffee at the drive-thru, I made my way out of the parking lot and down the hill that led back to the highway.
There weren’t any cars around and I was driving pretty slowly, so I used the opportunity to apply some lip balm. I was obsessed with lip balm balls at the time, and as I started to put the round lid back on the lip balm, I dropped it and watched my lip balm roll onto the passenger side floor.
Instinctually, I reached over to pick it up without considering the danger of what I was doing. Sure enough, a second later I felt the car hit the curb. When I looked up, I was driving in the grass. I froze, unsure of what to do. Before I had time to think, I felt the car hit another curb, and I was back on the road.
I quickly pulled off into a gas station where I parked the car and took some time to calm down. No one was hurt and my mom’s car was fine, but I was suddenly aware of another form of distracted driving that could be just as dangerous as texting.
Thirteen percent of all police-reported motor vehicle crashes in 2020 were reported as distraction-affected crashes. The age group with the most distracted drivers in fatal crashes that year were drivers age 15 to 20. Drivers who, like me, weren’t doing everything they could to be distraction-free. I was lucky back then and I learned my lesson. I realized how my irresponsible actions could have ended very badly–and not just for me. I could have hurt someone else. I wasn’t trying to hurt anyone, but in the moment I chose to reach for my lip balm without considering the consequences.
Many drivers never get the chance learn from their dangerous actions. And more still are injured or even killed due to the careless actions of others.
Types of Distraction
April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month. It’s vital to remember distracted driving comes in many forms, including manual, visual, and cognitive distractions.
Manual distractions cause you to remove one of both of your hands from the steering wheel. Texting, reaching for objects (like I did), eating, and even adjusting in-vehicle devices like the sound system or air-conditioning are all considered manual distractions.
A visual distraction takes your eyes off the road ahead. This can include texting or scrolling on your phone, looking over at your passengers, and looking out the window at the scenery passing by, just to name a few.
Cognitive distractions take your mind off the road. Things like daydreaming, talking on your phone or to your passengers, dealing with strong emotions, and thinking about other things are examples of cognitive distractions.
Many distractions fit into two or more categories. Using your phone to type or scroll fits into all three categories, making it one of the most dangerous forms of distracted driving.
Avoiding Distracted Driving
Here are some tips for avoiding distracted driving on the road:
- Utilize "Do Not Disturb." This will help curb the temptation to check your phone notifications.
- Use "driving mode" if your phone has it, which lets anyone who contacts you know you are driving and will get back to them later. You can also find free applications that do something similar.
- Make any adjustments (e.g., changing your mirrors, adjusting the seats, setting up your navigation app or GPS) while the vehicle is stopped.
- If you have passengers, make sure they know to distract you as little as possible. Of course you can still talk while driving! Just be sure to avoid topics that will distract you from driving. Keep your hands on the wheel and your eyes on the road.
Distracted driving is common and it’s up to you to do everything you can to avoid being distracted on the road. One moment of distraction can cause a lifetime of hurt--or end a life. It’s never worth the risk.
Are you interested in learning more about traffic safety?
Are you looking for defensive driving and traffic school courses? Do you want a discount on your auto insurance? Do you know a teen who’s ready to take an online driver education course?
Safe2Drive is here to help! We offer convenient online courses for drivers of any age! Visit our website today to learn about the online courses we offer in your state.
When I was learning to drive in the late 2000s, we spent quite a bit of time talking about texting and driving in my driver’s ed course. iPhones hadn’t really found their way to my rural high school yet--most of us were still lugging around flip phones, digital cameras, and iPod Shuffles everywhere we went. But even then, teens and adults were often guilty of texting and driving. Sixteen percent of fatal crashes in the US in 2009 (i.e., the year I got my license) involved reports of distracted driving.