Most people know that distracted driving is dangerous, but they may not always realize when they are doing it. Even if they have their phone connected to a hands-free set and stashed in their bag, they are likely driving distracted at times.
Thousands of things could distract a driver, and each thing could act upon the driver in between one or more of the following three ways.
Distracted eyes
Look around you next time you are stopped at a traffic signal or parked in a safe spot. There is so much going on that it is impossible not to notice the world around you. But, when you drive, you need to try hard to keep your eyes on the road and not let passers-by, nice scenery, ads on billboards and the like hold your gaze.
Distracted hands
What do you do with your hands when you’re driving? Do you keep them on the wheel? Or do you remove one or both to do other things? Whether that’s conducting an imaginary orchestra as you listen to classical music, adjusting the radio when the traffic announcement interrupts or reaching for a cookie from your bag, these manual distractions all reduce your ability to steer your vehicle effectively.
Distracted mind
What do you think about when you drive? If you are like most people, your mind wanders all over the place. You might think about what to cook for dinner, the performance appraisal you got earlier, or whether to adjust your route because of the traffic announcement you’ve just heard. If your mind isn’t on the task at hand, you’re at greater risk of causing a crash.
It’s clear that drivers are easily distracted, but they cannot afford to be. Driving is dangerous, and they have a responsibility to all with whom they share the road.