According to the data provided by National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), thousands of people die, and hundreds of thousands get severely or lightly injured as a result of destructed driving.
Analyzing police reports, NHTSA came to the conclusion that over 30% of accidents of all sorts that happen today are a result of various distractions in the car.
You may think that since you don’t use your smartphone in the car, you guarantee yourself never to get into these sad statistics. However, destructions related to cell phones or any other gadgets in the vehicle are only 15% of all cases.
In other words, sometimes we don’t even realize how vulnerable and destructed we may get while driving.
In this article, we decided to overview the most severe distracting elements while driving and explain how you can minimize their hazard for your safety.
Don’t try to multitask!
The only thing you are supposed to do sitting behind the wheel is drive! We all sometimes relax on seemingly empty roads or in slow traffic and try to do some other things like fixing make-up, drinking coffee, or eating.
Statistically, those are recipes for disaster as, at a certain point, our brain starts to see driving as a natural motoric action like walking. However, when you walk and eat, you still risk not mentioning a rock on the road and to trip, or choke on a piece of a sandwich, or bump into someone.
The same is true for driving, but the consequences of such a glitch can be fatal.
Arrange your car
Is there anything more annoying than a plastic bottle squeaking under the seat or something rolling in the baggage with each turn?
You may not even notice how much you get distracted by such things. However, eventually, the irritations can seriously affect your driving or really get under your skin, making you unable to think about anything else except for finding that thing that is traveling all over the floor, making annoying sounds, and throwing it out of the window.
It is essential that you arrange your car once in a while, just like you clean out your apartment throwing away empty bottles, putting things in their places, and fixing them there to make sure that they won`t get under your feet.
Make all adjustments before driving, not during it!
It happens all the time, especially when several people use the same vehicle. You may suddenly realize that you are uncomfortable because your partner moved the seat or rearranged the air conditioner. Even different shoes can make you move the seat or rearrange its back for better comfort. That is why this problem may occur even if you are the only driver of the vehicle.
Trying to fix those things on the road is extremely destructive and dangerous. Make a habit of making all the adjustments before you start driving.
Never drive if you don’t feel well
Even if you are the most experienced driving and the process is a part of your everyday life, never get behind the wheel if you are sick, in pain, or even tired.
Driving is a process that requires 100% concentration. Even if you are going through the most familiar route, you can never predict who will jump in front of you, suddenly stop or do anything that will require your immediate reaction.
The human body has its own priorities, and when you are exhausted or feel any kind of pain, your brain considers it the vital issue and tones down all other processes to draw all your attention to the problem.
Here at OHS Body Shop, we truly care about all our customers and their safety. That is why our team is always ready to conduct a thorough diagnostics and repair of your vehicle and provide you all the relevant information and advice about staying safe and comfortable on the road.
Visit one of our branches all over Montana’s Great Flathead Valley; in Kalispell, Whitefish, Columbia Falls and Polson. Here you will meet a team of high-class professionals who treat their customers and their vehicles with respect and genuine care.