How to avoid driving distractions

People who drive while distracted should consider the dangers. They may not think their actions can lead to serious injury and death because they have not encountered them yet. However, distractions do play a major role in the number of motor vehicle collisions that occur every day on the roads in the Issaquah area.

A motorist is not the only person who is in danger of harm from distracted behavior. The lives of passengers, motorists, and pedestrians are also at risk. Here are some ways all drivers can avoid distractions, injuries, and death.

Assess driving behaviors

People may not think they drive with distractions, but there is the possibility that they do without even realizing it. If drivers normally remove their eyes from the road so they can see the radio station or CD track list, or input coordinates on a GPS device, they are distracted. The same goes if they read and send text messages, play games, and use social media when their vehicle is not in park.

Make changes to avoid them

Once people know the things that are causing them to become distracted, they must eliminate them from the picture so they can avoid the impulse to use them. Most drivers probably keep their cellphones nearby for emergencies. They can do so safely and not risk becoming distracted by keeping it somewhere they cannot easily access while driving. The glove compartment or the back seat is an ideal place.

Minimize side conversations

Often, drivers carry on conversations with passengers to keep from becoming bored. However, side conversations can cause someone to lose track of what is going on around the vehicle. It is a good idea to try to keep all conversations short.

If something such as a call, GPS adjustments, or issues with children in the back seat cannot wait, a person should move the vehicle to the side of the road, a driveway, or a parking lot to do so. Using electronic devices or interacting with passengers while stuck in traffic, driving slowly, or sitting at red lights is still dangerous.

If people stay only partially attentive when driving, it is a fair assumption to guess that other motorists are doing the same. This emphasizes the need to attempt to be one of the safe drivers who is ready to identify and avoid distracted motorists.