Driving is a very sensitive skill that should always be done with extreme keenness. It is estimated that about 1.3 million people lose their lives every year due to car accidents. That is a whooping 3200 deaths every single day. Absent-minded driving aka distracted driving pose a deadly impact to passengers and pedestrians alike. With more and more people texting while driving, its no wonder car accidents are on the rise.
Moreover, the number of pedestrians killed has increased over the past few years. Research shows that a pedestrian gets injured every 7.5 minutes and 1 pedestrian dies every 1.6 hours. Distracted driving results in more car accidents.
Keep your phone off as you drive
Car fatalities from the use of smartphones have increased by 47% since 2010. Additionally, smart phone use has been responsible for a 40% increase in injuries. You should minimize your phone usage to the answering important calls only.
Do not drive under influence of alcohol
Alcohol causes hallucinations and poor judgement. Drivers under the influence of alcohol are prone to distraction hence causing fatalities.
Focus while driving
Most people drive subconsciously. However, driving should be an active process and should involve all the senses.
Attend driving lessons
Every person aspiring to drive should attend a driving lesson to ensure that they are competent enough and can confidently drive on the roads.
Limit the number of your passengers
As a driver, you should ensure that you only carry the recommended number of passengers. Novice drivers should however not be allowed to carry a large number of passengers or goods. Besides, teenage passengers are very distractive hence teenage drives should be more careful if they carry fellow teenagers.
Eat before or after driving
Do not eat as you drive. Though eating while walking or driving may appear to be a time saving mechanism, it does not help in preventing distractions.
The overall effort in preventing distractions on the road is to ensure that both you and your passengers are safe. Multitasking is not always possible for everyone. This therefore means that distracted drivers will often shift their attention intermittently. Road carnages are a detriment that should be eliminated by every individual. Besides, if you have any question or wish to report an issue, contact a car accident attorney. Failing to focus while driving and getting distracted is the lead cause of road crashes.
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Christian Denmon