All the things that can distract you from driving

It goes almost without saying, as Lebherz Insurance, serving Frederick, MD, notes, that texting constitutes the most dangerous form of distracted driving. The End Distracted Driving website notes that texting while driving involves three types of distraction.

  • Manual distraction involves taking your hands from the wheel.
  • Visual distraction involves taking your eye off the road ahead of you.
  • Cognitive distraction involves thinking of something besides driving.

No wonder cell phone use of all kinds (voice and text) caused 27 percent of car crashes in 2015.

However, texting and taking on the phone while at the wheel is just one cause of distracted driving. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration notes some others, including:

  • Fiddling with car electronics such as the radio or navigation system
  • Talking to passengers (especially unruly children in the back seat)
  • Eating and drinking while driving

Add to that, driving while impaired by drugs or alcohol, something to be avoided at all costs.

Two methods exist to avoid distracted driving and thus a car crash that could injure or kill you and your passengers. You can have a passenger be designated to use the cell phone or deal with the kids in the back seat if such needs to happen while in transit to your destination. If you do not have a passenger to take over these tasks and they have to happen immediately, pull over and deal with the matter. An automobile moving at any speed, especially on a highway, is a potentially deadly weapon and has to be under complete control at all times.

If you have any questions about auto insurance, feel free to contact Lebherz Insurance serving Frederick, MD,