Bug-a-boos of the road: distracted and mindless driving

Bug-a-boos of the road: distracted and mindless driving

Distracted driving is a big no-no. As much as you think you are in control, whether it’s a text or trying to find the dang French fry that fell between your seats, all it takes is two seconds of distraction to collide with another vehicle. From a car stopping short at a red light to someone cutting you off, distracted driving makes the roads unsafe. Each year the rate of accidents due to distractions go up. In fact, according to the Center for Disease Control in 2013 alone, 424,000 people were injured in motor vehicle crashes involving a distracted drive. This is an almost 10 percent increase since 2011.

There are three different types of distractions:

• Visual: distractions that take your eyes off the road
• Manual: distractions that take your hands off the steering wheel
• Cognitive: distractions that take your mind away from driving

According to distractions.gov, the most dangerous distracted driving habits include:

• Texting
• Talking on the phone
• Eating and drinking
• Grooming
• Checking roadside diversions
• Driving while tired
• Paying attention to children or pets
• Watching a video
• Adjusting music or the radio
• Using smartphones for activities, such as social media
• Fiddling with navigation
• Fiddling with entertainment
• Fiddling with on-board electronics within the car

 

Texting is the most problematic because it involves the driver’s visual, manual, and cognitive attention, making it a huge distractor. Many car manufactures are trying to add car features to negate this by creating a hands-free phone use while driving. The aim is to reduce all three distraction types. Recent studies completed by the American Automobile Association’s (AAA) Foundation for Traffic Safety doubts the effectiveness of these hands-free devices. Research shows that any distractions decrease reaction time. The AAA recommends multiple practices when driving to ensure your and fellow drivers’ safety.

• Avoid cell phone use
• Disable voice-to-text technologies like email, social media and text messaging
• Limit the use of voice-activated technology
• Limit removing hands from the steering wheel to core driving activities including climate control, windshield wipers, cruise control

 

Any way to remove distractions from your daily drive or commute is beneficial to everyone on the road. We have a job of protecting one another-children, families, fellow drivers. The daily commute becomes an autopilot part of the day. A lot of times, even without the distractions, we aren’t paying as close of attention as we ought. This is why distractions need to be reduced in any way possible.

 

From one car family to another, 

-Auto Body Now

 

While only you can be in control of your attention while driving, let ABN be in control of keeping your vehicle running optimal and safe. Check out ABN products at www.autobodynow.com.