Distracted Driving Reasons -

Distracted driving is no small matter.

Over 3,000 people a year are killed in distracted driving crashes in the U.S. alone, and 10% of all teens involved in accidents say they were distracted in some way. Of course, texting gets a lot of press for being the most pressing distraction today, but there are plenty of other things people are doing while driving that put everyone at risk.

The first thing you learn during defensive driving classes is that a distracted driver is a deadly one. That's true! Don't just assume that because you've put the phone away you're in the clear...these distractions are just as dangerous when you're behind the wheel.

Eating
Our fast-paced lives and availability of fast food mean lots of people have taken to eating while driving. While it's probably fine to sip a soda or chew gum while driving you really should avoid eating anything substantial unless you're parked. It may seem easy to reach over and grab a fry from the cupholder every few seconds but all it takes is one burning bite or plop of ketchup on your pants to distract you from what you should be doing: driving.

Applying Makeup
It's amazing how many women can be seen applying makeup in the mornings on the way to work! Ladies, we get it: you want to look your best and you woke up later than you meant to. But never, every apply makeup while driving (or really, as a passenger - you could poke your eye out!) because it's such an attention-sucking activity. Don't assume you can do a quick coat of lipstick at a stoplight, either, since driving means paying attention to what's going on around you even if your cars not in motion.

Reading
Obviously we don't mean reading a novel (although we've seen it before!) but you shouldn't ever, ever be reading anything while driving. That of course includes texts and emails or anything else on your phone, but it also includes your navigation system and old-fashioned maps, if you use them. If you need to look at something in detail on the road be sure you pull over to do it.

Passengers
Unfortunately for teenagers, more passengers mean more danger. In fact, having 2 or more teens in a car effectively doubles the risk of a fatal accident. That's because having chatty friends, laughing family members, or even crying children in the car with you is inevitably distracting. Does that mean you should always drive alone? No. It means you've got to be extra vigilant about safety when there's more than one person in the car. If you've got teens, you should consider a no-passenger policy until they've had more experience.

Music
First and foremost, turn your music down. If you can't hear a police siren until it's directly behind you then you're listening to music too loudly and blocking out senses you need while driving. Also, do not adjust your radio or your iPod while driving! It's really no different than texting in that it only takes a second of looking down from the road to cause an accident that can change lives.

Distracted driving doesn't just mean texting and it doesn't just involve teenagers. Anyone's at risk - even if they only take their eyes off the road for a second - and it's just not worth it. If you can't commit to being fully alert while driving, stay home.