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April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month; a time to focus on the risks of distracted driving and encourage safe driving behaviors. Technology, advancing at a rapid pace, is the major risk of distraction for the drivers as they are on the road. Distracted driving, as reported by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), was responsible for 3,142 deaths in 2023 which makes it one of the major causes of car accidents and fatalities in the USA. This pandemic has made a lot of organizations to bring the issue out and educate the public about the dangers of driving distracted.
Distracted driving is an activity that takes the focus of the person away from the main task of driving. This may involve text messaging, talking with someone on the phone, eating, changing the channel on the radio or GPS, or even thinking of something else. Though these distractions appear to be benign, they are capable of putting the driver, their passengers, and other road users at risk.
Cell Phones and Driving
One of the distractions while driving is texting. Texting while driving is six times more dangerous in causing accidents than being drunk according to a study by the NHTSA. Texting demands visual, manual, and cognitive focus, an activity that is highly unsafe to perform while driving. In an average of five seconds, a driver can read or send a text and during that time a car moving at 55 mph can cover the length of a football field. That is five seconds during which the driver is not looking at the road and can fail to notice important information, such as a car braking or a pedestrian crossing.
Phone calls are another common distraction while driving. It is considered by a number of people that the use of a hands-free device eliminates the risk of distracted driving, but researchers have proved this to be wrong. The human brain is not equipped to perform multiple tasks at once, and even a hands-free conversation diverts the driver’s attention from the road leading to an increased risk of an accident. People who are talking on the phone are four times more likely to be involved in a car crash according to NHTSA.
Other Distractions
Other than phone-related distractions, some activities such as eating and adjusting a GPS or a radio can also divert the attention of a driver away from the road. On the surface, these activities are fairly harmless in and of themselves, but those few seconds are enough to result in an accident. As drivers, we sometimes do not recognize the impact of such diversions, but the truth is that any act that takes away our focus from driving can be extremely perilous.
The Consequences
Distracted driving is a danger not only to the driver but to the lives of passengers in the vehicle and other people on the road. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that 58% of teen drivers who were involved in crashes were found to be distracted. This not only indicates the risks of distracted driving but also underlines the need to inform the young drivers about the dangers and repercussions of such activities. A recent study in Simi Valley, California, showed the same number of fatal and injury causing collisions were attributed to distracted driving as were caused by drunk driving.
Apart from the physical hazards of distracted driving, it poses a problem to the drivers in monetary terms as well. Distracted driving car accidents can cost you a fortune in repairs, medical bills and higher insurance premiums. A single moment of carelessness from a driver can cause an accident, that has serious financial implications not only to the driver but to other parties involved too.
Avoiding Distractions
However, there are ways drivers could consider minimizing the possibility of distracted driving and make roads safer. Most importantly, drivers should not use their phones while driving. If there is a need to use your phone, the best practice is to stop in a safe place and take the call or reply to the message. The driver can also switch the phone to a silent mode not to be disturbed by notifications. Some other useful tips are to be prepared and eat before you drive or adjust your GPS before you pull out, have passengers help with duties like scanning the radio dial or entering an address into the GPS.
In Distracted Driving Awareness Month, different organizations and government bodies come together to sensitize the public and educate them about the dangers of distracted driving. In addition, most states have enacted laws against using a handheld device while driving with penalties for texting or talking on their phone. This issue is very serious, and drivers should realize it and try to fully exclude any distractions during the moment of driving.
Conclusion
Distracted driving poses a major danger to the safety of drivers on the road. In contemporary society, where technology is advancing, drivers should leave their phones aside and concentrate solely on the act of driving. It is not worth of risking lives for one text, call, or other distractions. This month let us promote awareness and make a commitment to better individuals on the road. Keep in mind, the most important call or text can wait until arrival. Drive safely.
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