Straight Talk Law: Top Driver Distractions to Avoid | Seattle Personal Injury and Wrongful Death Lawyer

Today we all live busy lives. We have things coming at us all the time from all directions. Most times when we get in our cars, we are in a hurry, or at the very least we don’t want to waste time. We don’t want to be late for work, we might have an appointment, need to get our kids to their game on time, whatever the case may be, people are rushed. During ‘rush hour traffic’, people are not relaxed and patient, they want to get to where they are going in as fast as possible. Just because you are in a hurry does not mean that you have an excuse to speed or drive dangerously. Unfortunately, the reality is that the more of a hurry a driver is in, the more reckless they become. To make matters worse, a lot of the time when individuals are in a hurry they need to make up on lost time by doing certain activities while they are in their car. This may include applying makeup, talking on the phone, or even eating breakfast. There are already enough things to pay attention to while driving, participating in extra distracting activities is only asking for disaster.

According to a 2006 study released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 80% of crashes and 65% of near-crashes involve some form of driver distraction within three seconds before the crash. The term “distracted driving” refers to anything that takes your eyes, hands or mind away from driving. Distracted driving causes thousands of accidents each year. The following are among the top driver distractions we should all avoid:

Applying Makeup – This is usually a direct result of someone being in a hurry. Some people use the drive to work as an opportunity to save time and apply their makeup. Unfortunately, this takes both eyes off of the road for seconds at a time. It is not worth it, take the extra two minutes to apply your makeup before your leave your home.

Reading – While it may sound unusual, believe it or not, people do read behind the wheel. Reports due at work, newspapers, or,shockingly, even novels have been found to be some drivers’ distraction of choice. This may be one of the most careless things you can do behind the wheel. I would recommend that you limit your reading to before driving, or after, but never during.

Talking and Texting on your cell phone- Many individuals are not good multi-taskers. Talking on your phone can distract you in more ways than one and is one of the leading causes of serious auto accidents. This is true even with Bluetooth headsets. While engaged in conversation we are simply not able to focus as much on our driving. Texting is even worse, because it requires at least one hand and if not constant eye contact, intermittent glances. Unless it is an emergency, perhaps your cell phone should just remain off until you park and turn off your car, and there really isn’t any good reason to text or email while driving. See my prior post:http://www.straighttalklaw.com/articles/texting-and-auto-accidents.php for more details.

Driving with a pet in your lap – Many of our animal friends become filled with uncontrollable excitement at the prospect of getting to go for a ride. However, they can be very distracting to the driver, especially if you let them sit in your lap. You may think that driving with a pet in your lap is fun or a bonding time with your pet, but it is extremely dangerous and distracting. Also, consider the consequences to your pet if you get in an accident. You would almost certainly crush your pet between your chest and the steering wheel. It isn’t worth it.

Watching a movie or TV – Yes, technology allows us to do these things in our cars now. Catching up on the newest episodes of your favorite shows should be an activity done on your couch, not your driver’s seat.

Shaving – Once again, this activity is done to try and shave (I know, bad pun) some minutes off of your morning commute. Not only will you increase your chances of cutting yourself while shaving or getting a poorly done shave, you will also increase your chances of injuring yourself and others. Refrain from doing this activity in your vehicle.

The Radio – This can cause distraction if you take your eyes off the road to change the station or mess with the controls. It also can result in heavily involved singing and dancing in the car, two activities which will distract you from driving safely.

Smoking – For smokers, light your cigarette before you begin driving, or while you are stopped. Reaching for a lighter, then proceeding to light your cigarette can take your eyes off the road for a brief, yet significant period of time.

Eating – Eating while driving is one of the most common and most distracting activities found on the roads. We’ve all been hungry and in a hurry for a meal before. Eating requires use of your hands, and you cannot steer a car with a burger in your left hand and a soda in your right. Drinking coffee also ranks high on the list as drivers are very attentive in making sure that they do not spill their coffee on themselves. Drinking and eating while driving is distracting enough as it is, but if you happen to spill on yourself, it can cause a reaction that will further distract the driver and endanger the public.

Avoiding participating in these activities will help prevent car accidents and personal injuries. Please remember that saving a few minutes off of your commute is not worth the damages that driving distracted can cause.

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