Avoid Distracted Driving to Keep You and Your Family Safe
Driver distractions and inattentive driving play a part in one out of every four motor vehicle crashes. That’s more than 1.5 million collisions a year — more than 4,300 crashes each day!
A report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration indicates that inattention causes 68 percent of rear-end crashes. Other kinds of crashes—backing up, lane changes and merging—are usually caused by a driver not recognizing an obstacle or not paying attention.
Many crashes are caused by actions as simple as tuning the radio, dropping an item on the floor , reaching into the glove compartment, answering your cell phone, breaking up a dispute between your children or even glancing at a dog on the sidewalk. Carelessness or inattention—even for a second to change the radio station—causes more crashes than anything else.
How can you prevent this? Here are a few safety tips for the holiday commute.
- Stay focused and attentive.
- Avoid talking while driving.
- Keep both hands on the wheel.
- Don’t drive tired. Share long trips with a companion.
- Don’t drive when you are angry or upset. Wait for your emotions to cool down before getting behind the wheel.
- Pull off to the side of the road if you need to use your cell phone.
- Avoid “gawking” at accidents or other activities.
- Don’t eat in the car.
- Don’t try to read text messages, maps, books or other material while behind the wheel.
Please share this information with others. Remember, always drive defensively.
For more information on this topic please contact Knepper Insurance at 800-253-3750.
