Distracted Driving Facts

Distracted driving is defined as; "Any activity a person engages in that has the potential to distract him or her from the primary task of driving." The experts say there are 3 categories:

Visual - Taking your eyes off the road.
Manual - Taking your hands off the wheel.
Cognitive - Taking your mind off what you are doing.

Ok, the first two make sense. But that last one is a doozy. I can hardly keep my mind on the task of eating breakfast! Is changing my radio taking my mind off the task? If I think about a funny joke while going down the road, am I taking my mind off the task of driving? Well, by definition, yes! We have to accept that as human beings, distractions will occur naturally and we can't stop driving distractions all together. But where do we draw the line? That's the real debate.

Conflicting messages about distracted driving

As I drive my truck down the expressway (check out my truck driving blog!) down the expressway, it seems like every other billboard has some sort of message telling me what I should or shouldn't do while going down the highway (is it ok to read that billboard?). I turn on the radio (is THAT allowed?) and hear Opera Winfrey coming through my radio speakers, telling me to make my vehicle a "No Phone Zone." Who does she think she is? She can't tell me what to do!

I watch TV (of course, I'm not behind the wheel at this point) and see my tax dollars going towards commercials educating our nation that we shouldn't text and drive, as if we had no clue that was a bad idea. Then, I turn on the news, and hear conflicting reports depending on which channel I'm watching. Some reports suggest talking on a cell phone while driving is as bad as drunk driving. Others say that's not true, as long as you wear a headset. But then I hear even hands free devices don't work! What are we supposed to believe?!

What are the real facts about distracted driving?

Not to worry. I've done the research for you. This page will allow you to find some of the main forms of what makes a driver distracted and you can figure out how to combat distracted driving. One thing is for sure, trying to multi task while you're going down the road is not a good idea. You can't possibly practice defensive driving if you're distracted. But you already knew that, right? I hope so. And that's not why you're here, anyway. You want to know exactly how dangerous these distracting activities are. We know it's dangerous, but just how bad is it? Are things being blown way out of proportion? Take a look for yourself. All I ask, please, is that you don't read any of this while you're behind the wheel!

Common Forms of Distracted Driving

Texting while Driving

Texting while driving, or texting and driving, has taken the spotlight in recent years. There have been some high profile cases and fatal accidents involving people text messaging while driving. Many states have started... READ MORE

Talking on your cell phone while driving

Just admit it. You have used cell phones while driving before. Most of us have, and I'm certainly no exception. If you never have...READ MORE

See also:

The psychological effects of cell phones and driving

Cell phones and driving don't mix very well. Which sucks, because it's so dang convenient to talk on a cell phone while driving. Most of us (myself included) have used a cell phone when driving before. And some people like to... READ MORE

Eating while Driving

Eating while driving is the worst form of distraction for a driver! Yet a study of 1,000 drivers done by ExxonMobil found that over 70% of drivers admit to...READ MORE

Driving with your dog

Distracted driving caused by your beloved dog? Yes, it's true! In a recent AAA survey, nearly 60% of dog owners admit to driving while distracted when their pets are in the vehicle. And get this, more than half of...READ MORE