Distracted Driving

  • Published
  • By Will Harding
  • 17th Training Wing/Safety
GOODFELLOW AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  Every time you get into your vehicle, you are taking a risk. More than 40,000 people are killed in motor-vehicle crashes and over three million are injured each year. A contributing factor in over half of these crashes is the driver not being attentive. It is estimated that a driver will make 200 decisions for every mile traveled. You add on to that when mentally solving business or family problems, talking on the cell phone, looking at your day planner, reading newspapers, putting on make-up, adjusting the radio, CD player and any other devices you may use. In other words, anything that takes your mind off driving is a distraction. When travelling at highway speeds, a distraction is the last thing you need. If you take your eyes off the road for three or four seconds at 55 miles per hour, the vehicle travels the length of a football field. As your speed increases, so does the distance. Fatigue, weather and traffic conditions can make distractions even more of a problem.

If you want to determine if you are a distracted driver, see how many of these things have occurred to you, while driving:

● A passenger in your car screamed or gasped because of something you did or didn't do.

● You unintentionally ran a stop sign or red light.

● You swerved suddenly to avoid an animal, a car, or other highway hazard.

● You slammed on your brakes because you didn't see the car in front of you stop.

● You didn't remember driving from one place to another.

● You drifted in your lane or into another lane of traffic.

If any of these have happened to you, you are a distracted driver. So the next time you are tempted to read a road map, work on a report, referee a fight between your kids or even engage in an intense conversation on the cell phone or with occupants in the car, ask yourself this question: "Who's driving?"

To help you safely manage distractions, take the following actions:

● If the newspaper, business report, or day planner are too great a temptation, place them in the trunk until you get to your destination.

● Secure everyone and everything that could be a distraction.

● Plan your route before you start. Don't wait until you're on the road.

● Attend to your personal grooming before you get in the vehicle. Do not drive while putting on make-up or styling your hair.

● Pre-set the climate control, radio, CD player and any other devices you may use.

● Wait until you get to your destination to engage in complex or emotional conversations on the cell phone or with passengers.

● Don't eat or drink in the vehicle. When you're hungry or thirsty, take a break.

So, the next time you find yourself slamming on the brakes to avoid hitting something or someone, you know what to do. Recognize that you may be driving distracted.