Distracted Driving

Distracted driving involves any activity a person engages in that has the potential to distract him or her from the primary task of driving and increase the risk of a crash. There are three main types of driving distraction:

Visual — taking your eyes off the road
Manual — taking your hands off the wheel
Cognitive — taking your mind off what you are doing

Distracted driving activities include:

• Composing, sending or reading text messages
• Dialing or talking on a cell phone
• Changing the radio station, CD or MP3 player
• Eating, drinking or smoking
• Picking something up from the floor or between the seats
• Writing or reading (including maps)
• Shaving
• Using a PDA or navigation system

• Reaching for the glove compartment
• Cleaning the inside of the windshield
• Talking to passengers
• Combing or brushing your hair.
• Putting on makeup
• Putting in contact lenses or using eye drops
• Doing your nails
• Watching a video

While all these distractions can endanger a driver’s safety and that of others on the road, texting is the most dangerous because it involves all three types of distraction — visual, manual and cognitive.

Reduce driving distracted by adhering to the following basic suggestions:

Limit interaction with passengers — Limit talking while driving, keep your eyes on the road and both hands on the wheel.

Avoid driver fatigue — Stay focused on the road and don’t drive if you are tired .If necessary, share driving responsibilities on long trips.

Don’t drive when angry or upset — Emotions can interfere with safe driving. Wait until you have cooled down or resolved problems before getting behind the wheel of a car.

Avoid gawking — Don’t take your eyes off the road to look at a crash or other activity

If you need to use your cell phone — Pull off the road and stop in a safe place to use your phone.

Source: Maricopa County, Arizona