Nowadays, causes that could trigger accidents can vary from using cellphones and texting while driving to eating or watching movies in the car. With Safe Driver Education’s concern over this growing problem, we would like to give some advice about activities that drivers should avoid. 

Different activities lead to accidents

We have one quick question for all drivers:  Are eating, talking or changing music programs things that you usually do while driving? If yes, those activities can easily cause you to lose focus and lead to an accident. This is called driver distraction. 

• Physical activities cause you to take your eyes off the road ahead or to lose your hold on the steering wheel. 
• Mental activities will make you lose your focus on driving especially when you’re talking to passengers or on the phone.
• Activities like changing music or radio programs are serious distractions from the job of driving.
• Texting is equivalent to drunk driving.

Which activities can distract you from driving?

The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation found that activities that can distract drivers while driving are talking on their phones, eating, watching TV, applying make-up and carrying a child on their lap while driving. These activities impair your ability to see the road and focus on driving. 

With not enough time, people start to multi-task.

While driving, you are automatically doing many things at the same time; controlling this complex moving machine, looking at the road, calculating how fast you respond to obstacles ahead and talking to passengers in the car. These are severe distractions that will cause accidents. Having children or pets in the car is very distracting.

Be aware that a distraction is a serious problem

Studies show that 14% of drivers admit that they text and drive and most of them admit they talk on the phone while driving. We have some useful tips for you to avoid the risk of accidents. 

• Put all the equipment in the car in its place and prepare before leaving.
• Never eat or drink anything in the car.
• When you must call, text or send an email, park your car first.
• Make a travel plan beforehand.
• Refrain from multi-tasking, you are not a computer
• Stop the car to take care of the children.

Help teenagers deal with distractions while driving.

Novice drivers may face major challenges when it comes to driving. It has been reported that teenagers are four times more likely to have accidents than adults. Therefore, it is the parents’ job to teach them what causes distractions and how to avoid them.

Keep in mind that teenagers are four times more likely to have accidents than adults.