We live in a world where multitasking is praised almost like a superpower. You can text, sip coffee, scroll through your feed, and queue up your favorite playlist, all before you even start the car. All of this is good, impressive even. But, the downside is that some people carry that same habit into the driver’s seat.
Many people think distracted driving only means texting while driving, but that barely scratches the surface. The truth is, distracted driving accidents happen for a whole range of reasons, and they’re often linked to totally everyday behaviors that don’t feel dangerous in the moment. That’s exactly what makes them so dangerous.
Every year, thousands of lives are changed or ended because someone got distracted for just a few seconds while driving. In light of this, we’ll be delving into the top five culprits and, more importantly, talk about what you can actually do to avoid them.
- Phone Use
You’ve probably heard the message a hundred times: don’t text and drive. And yes, that’s incredibly important. But the thing most people miss is that texting is only one part of the problem. The whole phone is the problem.
People change songs, look at maps, scroll social media, respond to emails, and check missed calls, all while behind the wheel. And while hands-free devices sound like a safe workaround, studies show that even talking on the phone while driving (even hands-free) significantly increases the risk of crashing.
Your brain is trying to do two complex things at once, and no, it’s not as good at multitasking as you think it is. If you really want to eliminate the risk, you need to eliminate the temptation. Put the phone somewhere you can’t reach it. The best places are the glove box, center console, and even the back seat.
If you’re using it for directions, turn on voice guidance so you can listen instead of looking. Some phones have a “Do Not Disturb While Driving” mode; use it. If your phone makes it too easy to get distracted, make it harder to access while you’re driving.
- Eating and Drinking
Believe it or not, some studies suggest that eating while driving can be more dangerous than using your phone. Why? Because it checks all three distraction boxes: visual (you’re looking at your food), manual (your hands are off the wheel), and cognitive (you’re thinking about lunch, not traffic).
The fix is simple. Plan ahead and eat before you leave. If you’re starving, pull over and eat properly. As for drinks, if you must, stick to simple containers.
- Passengers
Conversations with passengers aren’t inherently dangerous, but they can become a real problem if they steal your focus from the road.
When you’re telling a story, laughing, turning to make eye contact, or trying to referee a backseat argument between your kids, where is your attention? It’s not on the road, and that’s the problem.
If your kids are constantly asking for things, or your pet is pacing around the car, it’s time to pull over. Explain to your kids why your focus needs to stay on driving. Buckle your pet into a crate or use a pet barrier. Keeping everyone safe starts with keeping the driver undistracted.
- Emotional Distractions
Your emotions can be just as distracting as your phone. Studies have shown that drivers who are visibly angry, upset, or agitated are up to ten times more likely to crash. Intense emotions can cloud your judgment, slow your reaction time, and make you more likely to take risks without thinking.
Before you get behind the wheel in a heightened emotional state, stop. Take a few minutes to breathe. Even a short break to clear your mind can really help you. If you feel overwhelmed while driving, pull over at the next safe place.
- Daydreaming
This one’s tricky because it doesn’t involve a device or another person or anything you can physically see. It’s just your mind. Drifting. Wandering. Zoning out. And that can be just as dangerous as texting behind the wheel.
In fact, one study found that up to 62% of distracted driving accidents come down to plain old daydreaming.
There’s no magic fix for this, but there is a strategy. Every few minutes, remind yourself to focus. Practice pulling your attention back when you notice it’s drifting. Your attention is like a muscle; the more you train it, the stronger it gets. If you catch yourself zoning out too much, consider pulling over and taking a break.
