Distracted driving is driving if doing another activity that takes your attention away from driving. Distracted driving deserve to increase the opportunity of a motor car crash.
You are watching: One way to control distractions is to __________.
Anything that takes your attention away indigenous driving have the right to be a distraction. Sending a text message, talking on a cabinet phone, using a navigating system, and also eating if driving are a few examples the distracted driving. Any kind of of these distractions can endanger you, her passengers, and also others ~ above the road.
There are three main varieties of distraction:
Visual: acquisition your eyes turn off the roadManual: taking your hands off the wheelCognitive: acquisition your mind off driving2In the U.S. In 2018, end 2,800 human being were killed and also an estimated 400,000 were hurt in crashes including a distracted driver. 1About 1 in 5 the the civilization who passed away in crashes involving a distracted driver in 2018 were no in vehicles―they to be walking, riding their bikes, or otherwise outside a vehicle.1
2010-2013 Sourceexternal icon and also 2014–2018 Sourceexternal icon
You deserve to visit the nationwide Highway Traffic safety and security Administrationexternal icon (NHTSA) website for an ext information on just how data ~ above motor vehicle crash deaths are collected and the limitations of distracted control data.
Who is many at threat for distracted driving?
Young adult and also teen drivers
In the U.S. In 2018:Twenty-five percent of the distracted drivers associated in fatal crashes were young adults aged 20–29.1 motorists aged 15-19 were an ext likely to be distracted than motorists aged 20 and also older, among drivers in crashes where someone died. Among these drivers, eight percent of drivers aged 15 to 19 to be distracted at the time of the crash.1Nine percent the all teens who died in motor car crashes were eliminated in crashes that associated distracted driving.3invernessgangshow.net’s Youth Risk habits Surveillance system (YRBSS) monitors health and wellness risk behaviors among U.S. High institution students, consisting of texting or emailing when driving.4 A study examining data native the 2019 survey revealed the following:In 2019, 39% of high college students that drove in the previous 30 days texted or emailed when driving ~ above at least one the those days.5Texting or emailing if driving was an ext common among older students than younger students (see figure below) and much more common among white college student (44%) than black (30%) or hispanic students (35%).5Texting or emailing when driving was together common among students whose qualities were greatly As or Bs as among students with greatly Cs, Ds, or Fs. 5Students that texted or emailed while driving to be also an ext likely to report other transportation threat behaviors. They were:more likely to not constantly wear a chair belt;more likely to ride v a driver who had been drinking alcohol;and much more likely to journey after drink alcohol. 5
2014–2018 Source:
NHTSA. Traffic safety Facts study Note: Distracted control 2018 (DOT HS 812 926). Available at https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/812926external icon
Sourceexternal icon: Transportation risk Behaviors among High institution Students — Youth Risk habits Survey, joined States, 2019
What drivers can do
Do no multitask if driving. Whether it’s adjusting your mirrors, picking the music, eat a sandwich, make a phone call, or analysis an email―do it before or after your trip, not during.What passengers deserve to do
Speak increase if you room a passenger in a vehicle with a distracted driver. Questioning the driver to focus on driving.Reduce distractions for the driver by assisting with navigating or other tasks.What parents can do6
Talk come your teen or young adult around the rules and also responsibilities affiliated in driving. Re-publishing stories and statistics related to teen/young adult drivers and distracted driving.Remind castle driving is a skill that requires the driver’s full attention.Emphasize the texts and also phone calls deserve to wait until arriving at a destination.See more: Wh A Whistling Woman And A Crowing Hen …, A Whistling Woman Is Up To No Good
Set anexample by keeping your eye on the road and your hands on the wheel when driving.
Many states have actually enacted regulations to help prevent distracted driving. These incorporate banning text massage while driving, implementing hands-free laws, and limiting the variety of young passengers who deserve to ride with teen drivers.While the efficiency of cell phone and also texting laws requires more study, high-visibility enforcement (HVE) initiatives for distracted steering laws have the right to be effective in reducing cell phone usage while driving. From 2010 to 2013, NHTSA evaluated distracted driving HVE demonstration jobs in 4 communities. This projects raised police enforcement the distracted driving laws and also increased awareness of distracted driving using radio advertisements, news stories, and similar media. ~ the tasks were complete, observed driver mobile use dropped from:4.1% to 2.7% in the Sacramento Valley an ar in California,76.8% come 2.9% in Hartford, Connecticut,84.5% come 3.0% in the state that Delaware,7 and3.7% come 2.5% in Syracuse, new York.8Some states have actually installed rumble strips on highways to alert drowsy, distracted, or otherwise inattentive motorists that lock are about to go off the road. These rumble strips are reliable at reduce certain varieties of crashes. 10