{"id":732,"date":"2017-11-20T09:00:53","date_gmt":"2017-11-20T09:00:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.travall.com\/en-gb\/?p=732"},"modified":"2020-03-04T16:11:01","modified_gmt":"2020-03-04T16:11:01","slug":"why-distracted-driving-is-driving-me-to-distraction","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.travall.com\/en-gb\/why-distracted-driving-is-driving-me-to-distraction\/","title":{"rendered":"Why distracted driving is driving me to distraction"},"content":{"rendered":"

“You can never have too many…” have been the words to start many quotes, from a variety of people ranging from authors to actors. \u00a0Most of these quotes finish with words such as friends<\/em>, shoes<\/em>, or books<\/em>. \u00a0 At Travall we say, \u201cYou can never have too many reminders about distracted driving.\u201d \u00a0<\/strong>Distracted driving is one of the biggest problems on the UK\u2019s roads. \u00a0To kick off Road Safety Week we thought we\u2019d show some simple ways to reduce those distractions.<\/span><\/p>\n

What is distracted driving?
\n<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

Many people consider themselves to be cautious, considerate, safe drivers. They sometimes don\u2019t realize that things that they do in addition to driving can be fatal. Causes of distractions on the road are numerous. \u00a0They can be events occurring outside the vehicle. Or they can be from things happening inside the car. \u00a0These 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.<\/span><\/p>\n

According to EndDD (End Distracted Driving, an organisation in the United States),1\u00a0<\/sup>there are three types of distraction:<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Manual distractions \u2013 your take your hands away from the steering wheel to perform a task. An example is reaching for a drink<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. Visual distractions \u2013 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<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. Cognitive distractions \u2013 your mind wanders away from the task at hand. They finish the example with you thinking about how to clean your clothes.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    How can you avoid distracted driving?
    \n<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

    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. \u00a0That is why the act of driving requires your complete focus.\u00a0 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.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Turn mobile phones off before starting your journey
    \n<\/strong>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. \u00a0In the UK there are penalties for using <\/span>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.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Take care of personal hygiene before<\/em> getting in the car
    \n<\/strong>This may seem like an obvious thing to say, but we\u2019ve all seen drivers shaving on their commute to work, or applying lipstick. \u00a0It is far better to take care of your personal hygiene before <\/em>setting out on a journey. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Secure pets
    \n<\/strong>Ensure that pets are securely placed to the rear of your vehicle.\u00a0 Using a vehicle-specific guard <\/a><\/span>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\u00a0so that the driver doesn’t suddenly have a surprise from a furry friend wanting a hug.\u00a0 Check out what can work best for your vehicle and for your pet.\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

    Set your GPS system before starting the journey
    \n<\/strong>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 <\/span>hands free.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Eat and drink before or after your journey, not during it
    \n<\/strong>Your car will remain cleaner, your clothes will be cleaner, and crucially\u00a0<\/span>you will not be distracted from the road.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Take care of your children\u2019s needs before starting the journey
    \n<\/strong>Ensure that children are comfortable and securely buckled in a car seat that is appropriate for their current age, height, and weight.\u00a0 Place toys within their easy reach, so the driver is free to deal with the important task of driving.\u00a0 If a toy drops on the floor, leave it there until you can get to a safe place to pull over. Don\u2019t try to reach behind your seat to return it to the child while you are driving.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Spread the message to others<\/span><\/h2>\n

    Don\u2019t become complacent about driving.\u00a0 Every trip,\u00a0take the time to plan ahead. \u00a0When you are driving keep your mind on the road, not on the other things going on in your life. \u00a0Multitasking 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 <\/span>understands the risks of distracted driving. \u00a0Let’s all work to make our roads safer.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Please drive mindfully every trip \u2013 every life is worth it!<\/span><\/p>\n

    References<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

      \n
    1. http:\/\/www.enddd.org\/the-facts-about-distracted-driving\/<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      “You can never have too many…” have been the words to start many quotes, from a variety of people ranging from authors to actors. \u00a0Most of these quotes finish with words such as friends, shoes, or books. \u00a0 At Travall we say, \u201cYou can never have too many reminders about distracted driving.\u201d \u00a0Distracted driving is …<\/p>\n

      Why distracted driving is driving me to distraction<\/span>Read More »<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":736,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[533],"tags":[680,681,682],"yoast_head":"\nWhy distracted driving is driving me to distraction: 6 easy tips<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"There are many distractions when we are out on the road, but there are some simple things we can do to reduce distracted driving. 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