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You might be surprised.

Distracted driving has become an epidemic, taking more than 3,000 lives a year in the United States alone. And while your first instinct might be to think that you don’t drive distracted, not so fast. Because the truth is, most people don’t associate their distracted driving habits as “distracted driving.”

While driving, have you ever:

Adjusted your radio station or playlist?

Touched up your makeup?

Texted?

Talked on your cell phone?

Had something to eat or drink?

Looked at your GPS or a map?

Focused so much on conversation with a passenger that you nearly missed a turn?

Distracted driving isn’t just talking or texting on your phone. Anything that takes the eyes or mind off the road and hands off the steering wheel is causing you to drive distracted. It’s important to note, though, that texting while driving is especially dangerous because it requires visual, manual, and cognitive attention. The facts are unsettling.

Anytime drivers look at their phones, they take their eyes off the road for an average of five seconds.

This also causes drivers to drift out of their lane about 10 percent of the time.

At least 28 percent of vehicle crashes are caused by texting and cell phone use alone—never mind other distractions.²

Tips to prevent distracted driving

The simple truth is that distracted driving is a dangerous safety risk. Help keep everyone on the roadways safe by following these simple tips.

Put it away. Your phone, that is. It’s the absolute best thing you can do while behind the wheel so that you can safely control your vehicle and respond to events on the road.

Use safe-driving apps: While apps are not generally safe while driving, apps like Textecution, tXtBlocker, DriveSafe.ly and DriveMode can prevent you from texting while driving and keep you safer on the road.

Think ahead. Take care of distractions before or after your trip so you can devote your full attention to driving.

Ask passengers for help. If another activity requires immediate action, enlist the help of your passengers or safely pull off the road and stop your vehicle before handling the situation.

Use hands-free for emergencies. If you need to be accessible at all times, invest in a hands-free device. However, please note that hands-free does not mean risk-free, so only use it in absolute emergencies.

Speak up. Be a good passenger by reminding friends and other drivers to follow these rules. Parents especially should talk with their young drivers about the dangers of distracted driving. Make a family pledge where everyone commits to safe driving.

Visit our blog for more articles on safe driving!

Breaking up with distracted driving

Posted on June 18, 2020January 31, 2025 by Shield Insurance Agency

Breaking up with distracted driving

Distracted driving is a bad habit, and one worth breaking.

It’s dangerous — not only for drivers and their passengers but also for pedestrians and bicyclists. It can also be deadly. In 2016, 9% of fatal crashes in the U.S. were reported as distracted driving crashes and about 14% involved a cell phone. Additionally, drivers age 15 to 19 years old made up the largest proportion of drivers who were distracted at the time of a fatal crash.

It all comes down to this: if we can break our distracted driving habits, we can help save lives. And that’s worth doing!

Safe driving requires visual, manual, and cognitive attention to work together. Taking your attention away from even one of these areas means you’re driving distracted.

1. Visual.

Visually distracted driving means taking your eyes off the road. To properly see, anticipate and react to obstacles while driving, you must watch the road.

Examples of visual distractions:

Taking your eyes off the road to adjust your radio, climate controls or navigation system
Reading something on your cell phone, a book or a computer
Looking in your rearview mirror to talk to a passenger
Watching an accident scene as you drive by (i.e. “rubbernecking”)

Reduce visual distractions by:

Asking a front seat passenger to adjust your radio or climate controls.
Setting the location in your navigation system prior to driving. If you need to adjust it mid-drive, safely pull off the road or park to update the system from your stationary vehicle.
Placing devices outside of your reach while driving so you can’t pick them up.
Focusing your eyes on the road instead of passengers inside your vehicle.
Practicing extra caution while driving by an accident scene and watching for people, cars and road debris in the path ahead of you.

2. Manual.

Manual distracted driving means taking your hands off the steering wheel. Keeping two hands on the steering wheel is the best way to stay on the road and avoid accidents. One hand, two knees or anything else you might use to steer your vehicle isn’t going to give you the control or turning radius to stay safe.

Examples of manual distractions:

Taking a hand off the steering wheel to adjust your radio, climate controls or navigation system
Texting or talking on a cell phone or operating a device while driving
Eating, drinking, smoking or putting on makeup
Searching for an item in your purse or fast food bag

Reduce manual distractions by:

Asking a passenger to adjust your radio, climate controls or help you navigate.
Making hands-free phone calls and committing to never text while driving.
Putting devices outside of your reach or turning them off.
Applying makeup, eating or smoking only in a parked and stationary vehicle.
Keeping both hands on the steering wheel when the car is in motion.

3. Cognitive.

Cognitive distracted driving means not focusing on driving. Stress is no stranger to most drivers. But when thoughts, feelings or tiredness get in the way of paying attention to what’s happening on the roadway, it’s time to pull over and take a break. Then you can come back onto the road ready to focus and drive safely.