You have heard news anchors, lawmakers, and your peers talking about putting your phone away while you drive for years now. The claim is that your phone will distract you from the road ahead and could contribute to an accident.
Now that more people are putting their phones aside, it is becoming clear that there are more distractions in the car besides cell phones.
These are some of the dangerous distractions you should watch out for when driving.
The people you bring along
The passengers in your vehicle can be one of the biggest distractions while driving. Conversations with adults and attending to children in the car can take your eyes off the road at crucial moments.
Before you start driving, tell your adult passengers that you are going to focus on safe driving instead of conversation. When driving with children, try to have them settled before you leave or have another passenger who can help. If your child needs your attention while you are driving, pull the car over and stop so you can attend to their need safely.
Gadgets and gizmos
There is no end to the accessories and features you can have installed or added to your vehicle. In many cases, they have a design intended to limit distractions, but that tends to be the case only after you learn how to operate it without looking at it.
When you get a new vehicle (or a new accessory for your current car), take the time to learn the controls before you start driving. If you need to make changes and cannot do it safely, you should wait until you can safely stop and make the adjustments you need.
Distracted driving can lead to dangerous accidents. When you make an extra effort to reduce the distractions in the car, you can increase the chances you will arrive at your destination safely.