Not going when a light turns green? Swerving in a lane? Cutting people off or not letting anyone in? If you see any of these on the road, chances are that the drivers are being distracted. This is a huge problem for drivers of all ages. April was even deemed Distracted Driving Awareness Month by National Safety Council.
Distracted Driving – A Real Issue
I’m not just talking about texting either. People do some CRAZY things while driving – eating, checking maps, shaving, messing with the kids, talking on the phone, etc. Once, I even saw someone who installed perches inside their car for their cockatiel to roam free. Yeah, like a bird walking across your shoulders isn’t distracting… I have even seen people rear-end others because they were texting in traffic. While the crashes I saw were not major, it caused damage to both cars and even more traffic resulted. Other crashes resulting from distracted driving tend to be much more serious though.
I’ve been guilty of taking my eyes off the road for a second here or there and that’s not good. I find it’s a constant battle to avoid distractions while driving. Whether that means ignoring the notification sound my phone just made, resisting the urge to rummage for something in my purse, or telling my daughter I can’t look because have to pay attention to the road. When I make the deliberate decision to focus 100% on driving, the road becomes safer for my family and that of others. Besides, it’s a nice excuse to take a break from the multi-tasking nightmare know as motherhood.
The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and the Auto Alliance have teamed up for a special initiative with a sweet giveaway tied in. Decide to Drive Catchphrase Contest will run from May 30th – June 13th. I’ll update this post as more details about the contest are made available as I’m sure you’ll want to enter (I want to too).
What types of distracted driving have you seen or been guilty of doing?
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
1 comment
I tried texting while driving, and realized how incredibly dangerous that was when I started veering off into oncoming traffic…that is the WORST thing to do in a car, EVER.
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