You’re headed to school, and you decide to pick up a cup of coffee to drink on the way. Once you’re back on the road, your phone rings. You answer the phone and take little sips of your coffee while you drive. You may not realize this, but you are engaging in distracted driving.
Driving takes a lot of concentration. Anything that you do other than driving your vehicle and keeping your eyes on the road is considered distracted driving. Every year in the U.S., more than 3,100 people are killed, and over 400,000 are injured due to distracted driving, according to the National Highway Safety Traffic Administration. (NHSTA)
Distracted driving among teens
Teens and young adults ages 15-20 are most likely to drive while distracted. According to a study conducted by the CDC in 2019, nine percent of fatal crashes occurred to distracted drivers in this age bracket.
Some distracted driving behaviors include:
- Texting
- Talking on the phone
- Eating or drinking
- Sending emails
- Applying makeup
- Reading
- Smoking
- Selecting radio stations
While you can’t completely control the distractions around you, there are ways to lessen distracted driving practices.
- Avoid multitasking behind the wheel. Don’t answer that text until you are safely parked.
- Establish a “no phones” policy when driving. That call or text is not worth your life.
- If you are a passenger, speak up. Remind the driver that talking on the phone is not safe when they are driving.
If you are a parent, talk to your teen. Remind them that driving is a privilege and a big responsibility. It only takes a few seconds of taking your eyes off the road for an accident to occur. If you or a loved one has been injured by a distracted driver, you may need help filing your claim.