“You can never have too many…” have been the words to start many quotes, from a variety of people ranging from authors to actors. Most of these quotes finish with words such as friends, shoes, or books. At Travall we say, “You can never have too many reminders about distracted driving.” Distracted driving is one of the biggest problems on the UK’s roads. To kick off Road Safety Week we thought we’d show some simple ways to reduce those distractions.
What is distracted driving?
Many people consider themselves to be cautious, considerate, safe drivers. They sometimes don’t realize that things that they do in addition to driving can be fatal. Causes of distractions on the road are numerous. They can be events occurring outside the vehicle. Or they can be from things happening inside the car. These can include restless pets or passengers within the vehicle, eating, drinking, shaving, applying makeup, smoking, adjusting controls on the stereo, downloading music, dealing with hand-held devices, and last but by no means least, using mobile phones for phone calls and texting.
According to EndDD (End Distracted Driving, an organisation in the United States),1 there are three types of distraction:
- Manual distractions – your take your hands away from the steering wheel to perform a task. An example is reaching for a drink
- Visual distractions – your take your eyes off the road. They give the example of when you spill the drink and look down at your clothes to see the outcome
- Cognitive distractions – your mind wanders away from the task at hand. They finish the example with you thinking about how to clean your clothes.
How can you avoid distracted driving?
There will always be incidents that arise when we are driving that we don’t expect and we cannot plan for ahead of the journey. That is why the act of driving requires your complete focus. For some of the distracted driving scenarios, a little bit of planning by trying to manage these distractions before setting out on the road can help to avoid these distractions entirely.
Turn mobile phones off before starting your journey
No phone call, social media update, or text message is more important than a person’s life. Don’t talk, or (even worse) text, on the phone while driving. In the UK there are penalties for using or even holding a mobile phone in the car. You could even lose your driving licence. If you absolutely need to make a call or send a text message during your journey, pull over and park. As for selfies, nobody wants to see a selfie of you driving, they’d far rather see you in person and more importantly alive.
Take care of personal hygiene before getting in the car
This may seem like an obvious thing to say, but we’ve all seen drivers shaving on their commute to work, or applying lipstick. It is far better to take care of your personal hygiene before setting out on a journey.
Secure pets
Ensure that pets are securely placed to the rear of your vehicle. Using a vehicle-specific guard is an excellent choice and if you have multiple pets, having a boot divider added to this mix can prevent them from getting too restless. There are a wide variety of products on the market to position your pet in the most appropriate area of the vehicle so that the driver doesn’t suddenly have a surprise from a furry friend wanting a hug. Check out what can work best for your vehicle and for your pet.
Set your GPS system before starting the journey
Ensure that the device is located in an area where you can see both the device and the road easily and clearly and ensure it can be operated hands free.
Eat and drink before or after your journey, not during it
Your car will remain cleaner, your clothes will be cleaner, and crucially you will not be distracted from the road.
Take care of your children’s needs before starting the journey
Ensure that children are comfortable and securely buckled in a car seat that is appropriate for their current age, height, and weight. Place toys within their easy reach, so the driver is free to deal with the important task of driving. If a toy drops on the floor, leave it there until you can get to a safe place to pull over. Don’t try to reach behind your seat to return it to the child while you are driving.
Spread the message to others
Don’t become complacent about driving. Every trip, take the time to plan ahead. When you are driving keep your mind on the road, not on the other things going on in your life. Multitasking behind the wheel is simply asking for trouble. Retweet, share on Facebook, or do whatever you can to get the message out to friends, family, so that everyone, no matter what age, is educated about and fully understands the risks of distracted driving. Let’s all work to make our roads safer.
Please drive mindfully every trip – every life is worth it!
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