Distracted Driving: What is a Distraction?

Distracted driving takes many forms. (image by streetsblog.net)

According to authorities, distracted driving has a tremendous impact on our roadways. Distracted driving is both a serious and dangerous practice that can threaten your own life, as well as the lives of others. However, this does not mean you must become a statistic. Identifying potential distractions and being aware of them can help you stay focused on the task at hand when you’re behind the wheel of your car.

How big of an impact does distracted driving have? The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), through years of in-depth studies of driver behavior in the United States, concludes that that one of the leading factors of car crashes and near crashes is a distracted driver.

Data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) shows that in 2009, 16 percent of all automotive-related fatalities involved some form of driver distraction. That means that a total of 5,474 fatalities in the United States were directly attributable to distracted driving. Additionally, 20 percent of all injury crashes in 2009 involved some form of driver distraction.

Let’s look at the big picture of what distracted driving actually involves. Quite simply, any non-driving activity that a driver engages in while behind the wheel of their car is considered a form of distracted driving. These activities fall into three specific categories of distractions: visual, cognitive and manual.

• Anything that causes a driver to take their eyes off the road is a visual distraction.
• Anything that causes a driver to take their mind off driving is a cognitive distraction.
• Anything that causes a driver to take their hands off the steering wheel is a manual distraction.

Distractions take place both outside and inside of a driver’s car. Here are some potential distractions that occur outside of the car:

• Aggressive or other forms of bad driving demonstrated by others.
• Billboards or other outdoor advertising.
• Looking at scenery or wildlife rather than keeping your eyes scanning the roadway.
• “Rubbernecking” at the scene of an accident, construction work, or at vehicles pulled over by law enforcement.
• Seeing friends in other vehicles and attempting to communicate with them.
• Window shopping as you pass stores.

However, the bulk of distractions take place inside the car. They can include:

• Applying makeup or other grooming activities, such as shaving and brushing hair.
• Cellular phone usage. This includes hands free use as well as traditional voice calls. And lest we forget, texting, email and web browsing on a cell phone is even more dangerous.
• Children in the car.
• Discussions and/or arguing with a passenger.
• Eating or drinking while driving.
• Feeling sick, stressed or fatigued. You should never drive if your physical or emotional condition interferes with your performance.
• Looking at GPS/navigation system, maps or directions.
• Other technology, such as adjusting a stereo system, MP3 players or even watching video.
• Pets that are unconfined and can reach the driver.
• Reading a newspaper or book.
• Smoking. From lighting up to putting out a cigarette, your mind is not on driving.
• Working in your car, such as typing on a laptop or writing notes.

We say you should always err on the side of caution, and do everything you can to minimize being influenced by distractions as you drive. It is important to remember that the conditions on the road can change abruptly and without warning. If you’re distracted, you either won’t see these changes until it’s too late, or you will greatly reduce your time to react if you’re engaged in other activities besides driving.

Put simply – any distraction that reduces your awareness of driving environment, your ability to make decisions and react, or affects your driving performance can result in a near crash or a collision, often with fatal results – it is better to be safe than sorry.

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