According to a recent study, pedestrian fatalities reached a 30-year high in 2019 in the US. Early data from the GHSA estimates 6,590 pedestrians were killed in motor vehicle crashes in 2019. This data should put us on high alert. While the cause for the increase in pedestrian fatalities is not 100% clear, researchers point to smartphone use. Since April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month, this is the perfect time to look at some of the factors that cause us to drive distracted, and how to prevent distracted driving.
What is distracted driving?
First, let’s define distracted driving. Distracted driving is an act of driving while engaging in other activities that take the driver’s attention away from the road. In general, there are three types of driving distractions:
- Manual Distractions. A manual distraction is anything that takes one or both of your hands off the steering wheel (e.g., using a cell phone, reaching for objects, and smoking or vaping).
- Visual Distractions. Visual distractions are distractions that take your eyes off the road for any period of time (e.g., looking at your cell phone, reading your GPS, looking over at your passengers, looking at the view out the window, and checking the time).
- Cognitive Distractions. Cognitive distractions take your mind off driving (e.g., talking to passengers or on a cell phone, daydreaming, thinking about work or personal issues, and reading something on your wireless device).
This is just a short list. Anything that takes your mind, eyes, and hands off the driving task can be considered distracted driving.
Who drives while distracted?
While distracted driving includes many distractions, as we learned above, the biggest is probably cell phone use. According to the NHTSA, young drivers and women seem likely to use their phones while driving. The latest data (2017) indicated 9% of fatal distracted driver crashes involved a teen, and female drivers with a cell phone have been more likely to be involved in deadly distracted driving crashes every year since 2012.
Teens and women aren’t the only ones driving distracted, though, and there could be many factors that influence that data. The point is, distracted driving is a huge issue for everyone.
It’s not only drivers who need to be mindful of distracted driving. Other roadway users, like pedestrians, need to be as distraction-free as possible in order to keep themselves safe. Crossing in the middle of the street, or playing loud music in your headphones while out for a run, is super dangerous.
How can we prevent distracted driving?
Keep your distractions limited while on the road. Most states have banned texting and driving (and that includes things like using Twitter or TikTok), but even if your state doesn’t have particularly strict laws on distracted driving, you have a responsibility to yourself and to other roadway users to never use your phone while behind the wheel.
If you need to use your phone, pull over in a safe location to do so. If you have passengers in the car, ask them to control your phone for you. Avoid tense conversations while behind the wheel, and keep your music low enough to still hear your surroundings.
Don’t eat messy meals while driving, and program your GPS before you start your drive. If you know someone is driving, do not call them or text them. Instead, wait until they get home.
From April 11th to 15th, law enforcement will be making a special effort to identify and ticket anyone who is driving distracted. This is a perfect time to break any bad distracted driving habits you may have. If you’re in the car with someone who is driving distracted, insist that they stop! Ask them to put their phone down until you reach your destination. If they refuse, you should refuse to ride with them.
Distracted driving is a major issue in our world today. We can all keep each other safe by limiting distraction while behind the wheel, and making sure we do not distract drivers when we’re in the passenger seat. Interested in learning more about this topic and other driving-related issues? Check out our website to see which online courses we offer in your state!