Originally from U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
Distracted Driving is anything that takes your concentration off the road.
Peggy Claytor
There are three main types of distraction:
- Visual: taking your eyes off the road
- Manual: taking your hands off the wheel
- Cognitive: taking your mind off driving
Anything that takes your attention away from driving can be a distraction. Sending a text message, talking on a cell phone, using a navigation system, and eating while driving are a few examples of distracted driving. Any of these distractions can endanger you, your passengers, and others on the road.
Distracted driving can increase the chance of a motor vehicle crash. Nine people in the United States are killed every day in crashes that are reported to involve a distracted driver.
Distracted driving is preventable
What drivers can do:
Do not multitask while driving. Whether it's adjusting your mirrors, selecting music, eating, making a phone call, or reading a text or email, do it before or after your trip, not during.
What passengers can do:
Speak up if you are a passenger in a car with a distracted driver. Ask the driver to focus on driving.
What parents can do:
Talk to your teen or young adult about the rules and responsibilities involved in driving. Share stories and statistics related to teen/young adult drivers and distracted driving.
