Distractions can affect anyone at any time of the day. You may find yourself sitting at your desk at work trying to concentrate on a project only to realize that you have been thinking about something else for several minutes. While this type of scenario may not seem particularly distressing, distraction can prove much more dangerous if it happens while driving.
You likely already know that cell phones cause immense distraction and also cause numerous car accidents every year, and because you want to lessen the chances of you causing such an incident yourself, you may want to remain aware of other common distractions and how you can prevent them from affecting your driving.
Drowsy driving
You may think of drowsy driving and distracted driving as two separate issues, but they do coincide. If you have not gotten enough rest, your mind cannot fully focus on the task of driving. You may even end up falling asleep for a few seconds without realizing it, which can prove immensely dangerous. In order to avoid this type of scenario, you should make sure to get enough rest before driving or safely pulling off the road if you feel drowsy.
Eating and driving
Most people enjoy the convenience that fast food drive-thrus provide, but if you grab a burger on your way back to the office and try to eat while behind the wheel, you are driving while distracted. Rather than saving time, you allow yourself to split your focus between eating and driving, which causes problems. Additionally, if you spill a drink or drop food on your clothes, your mind moves further away from the task of driving in order to attend to the new issues.
Passengers
While carpooling can certainly have its benefits, you may want to limit the number of passengers you have in your vehicle. If you attempt to hold conversations with other people in the car or passengers have too much activity going on, you could easily end up focused on those activities and less on driving.
Your best may not be enough
Even if you try your hardest to remain focused on driving, other drivers may not. As a result, you could end up suffering serious injuries due to another driver’s distraction. If so, you may have reason to file a personal injury claim against the driver considered at fault for the accident in hopes of seeking compensation for damages.
