Common Activities That May Be More Dangerous Than Texting While Driving

Texting while driving is one combination that had taken its toll on the motorways. Although, if we come to think about all the distractions that come up as we take the wheel, texting may be the least of our worries.

First is cell phone use. This was atop the distractions list for years, so much so that most states and cities now require the use of a non-hand held phone unit. This can involve a speakerphone or a headset, or other devices that keep the hands free. You might have seen scenarios that involve drivers driving too slow, or too fast, stopping at stop signs a little too late, or ignoring traffic signage. Of course, they are doing this all while talking on the phone. With or without the actual hand held talking on the phone, they can get you distracted.

There is the usual activity of talking to somebody while you are driving; these conversations are distraction that you should be wary about.

Adjusting the air conditioning, heat or defrosting controls forces a driver to look toward and reach for the controls (often removed from the driver’s position). And adjusting the radio or CD controls, searching for a channel and/or inserting or removing a CD provides additional distractions.

Using our in-car navigation system and/or looking at a roadmap to ensure we are on the correct path add a distractive note, too.

Next, consider the family, especially with very young children and babies. It doesn’t take much for an unruly child (especially if they are bothering a sibling) or an incessantly crying baby to cause a driving parent to turn around to see what is going on. And if the child is trying to get out of his/her seatbelt or throwing things, the increased anxiety easily redirects the driver’s attention to actions inside the car, not those outside.

Sometimes the distractions can be linked to the very things we, as drivers, should be monitoring. For example, if there’s an aggressive driver on the road, we tend to keep watch on this person and ignore other drivers. Surely, you’ve been in a car where the conversation quickly turned to the “did you see what that guy just did?” With a focused perspective, rather than landscape monitoring, the stage is set for missing cues from other drivers and highway signage.

Road accidents, a wrecked car on the shoulder or even an island in the streets, or the flashing lights of a police cruiser can cause distractions. This scenario can only yield to one action, “rubbernecking,” or craning of the neck just to get a good look at what is going on. This is one of the causes of retarding the traffic flow and can cause some more accidents. Stay away from this, the last thing that you want is get a ticket.

The “rocket’s glare” on the 4th of July, waving your support for a political party rally or a protest along the side of the road, checking garage sales, real estate open house hunting are additions to the distraction list.

On July 4th, one might catch the “rocket’s red glare” as fireworks explode in the nearby skies. Viewing and waving to a political or other protest along the side of roadway, checking out that garage sale, and looking for the real estate open house add to the distractions list.

The lesson this all imply teaches use to keep both hands on the wheel, both eyes focused on the road ahead.

Dorthy Weatherbush tries to be a safe driver all the time. She also tries to protect her vehicle. That’s why she buys automotive parts and accessories from Weather Tech. She can shop WeatherTech.com for all the car parts and accessories she needs.

Share and Enjoy:
  • Digg
  • Sphinn
  • del.icio.us
  • Facebook
  • Mixx
  • Google Bookmarks
  • Bumpzee
  • De.lirio.us
  • Furl
  • LinkedIn
  • MySpace
  • Propeller
  • Spurl
  • StumbleUpon
  • Technorati
  • Tumblr
  • Yahoo! Buzz

Related posts:

  1. Teenage Driving And The Perils Getting your license as a teenager was one of the...
  2. Driving And Drivers In Alberta There are over 181,000 kilometers of public roads in Alberta....
  3. What Driving Habits You Should And Shouldn’t Have The driving habits that you practice could mean the difference...
  4. Useful Tips For Driving in Quebec Every year, many drivers take advantage of driving in Quebec....
  5. A Guide To Driving For Learners New drivers are often nervous and stressed out about being...

Comments are closed.


SEO Powered by Platinum SEO from Techblissonline

reno chiropractor