Staying focused while driving is one of the most important things you can do on the road. That’s why you need to do everything you can to avoid distracted driving. To steer clear of driving while distracted, you have to know the types of distractions that can get to you. In this post, we’ll go over the 4 types of distractions while driving plus some statistics on the dangers of distracted driving. Read on to learn more!
Statistics About Distracted Driving
Sometimes, things don’t seem true until you read the numbers. Here are some statistics about just how dangerous distracted driving can be:
- In 2019, over 3,000 people were killed because of distracted driving.
- 20% of crashes in which a driver was distracted involved pedestrians, bikers, or others who were not driving a car.
- ¼ of distracted drivers in which someone died were young adults aged between the ages of 20–29.
- Almost 40% of high school students have admitted to texting while driving.
What Are The 4 Types of Distractions While Driving?
To drive safely, you need to know what types of things can distract you. Here are the 4 types of distractions while driving:
Visual
Visual distractions involve taking your eyes off the road. Things that cause visual distractions include another accident on the side of the road or a beautiful view. A visual distraction also includes looking at your phone to read a text.
Auditory
An auditory distraction is exactly what it sounds like: something that takes your ears off the road. Auditory distractions are the most common type of distraction. They include listening to music, a podcast, talking with someone, or listening to an audiobook.
Manual
A manual distraction is anything that takes your hands off the wheel. This could be something as simple as moving to grab something from the back seat or something more dangerous, like grabbing your phone to send a text.
Cognitive
Have you ever been driving and forgotten how you got to where you are? A cognitive distraction is something that takes your mind off driving. Cognitive distractions are caused by your own thoughts, which makes them one of the hardest types of distractions to avoid.
How Do You Limit Distracted Driving?
To limit distracted driving, you shouldn’t eat, smoke, or do anything except for driving. Here are some more tips on how to stay focused on the road:
- Do not text while you’re driving.
- Don’t eat or drink when driving. Instead, take a break to eat your food on long trips.
- Keep important items in the right place, so you don’t have to search for them when you’re driving.
- Set up your GPS ahead of time so that you don’t need to mess with it while you’re at the wheel.
- Keep your eyes on the road.
- Don’t drive when you’re tired. Experts link drowsy driving to being as dangerous as driving while drunk.
Sign the Pledge to Stay Safe Today
At Drive Friendly AZ, our goal is to help Mesa, Gilbert, and East Valley drivers gain knowledge about safe driving behavior. If you’ve enjoyed reading about distracted driving and want to commit to safe driving practices, sign our pledge today. You’ll be joining other people who want to drive friendly and arrive safely.
More reading to help you Drive Friendly and Arrive Safely on your next road trip:
Arriving Safely: Your Car Safety Checklist
Texting While Driving: Not Now, Not Ever!
Car Rules for Passenger Safety