You’ve probably heard about the importance of being an attentive driver. However, most people get distracted while behind the wheel at some point.
While it’s easy to stop paying attention to the road while answering a phone call, looking at the radio, or eating something, being as attentive as possible while driving is essential. Of course, you might not think that a moment of distracted driving is that dangerous, especially if you’re already in a hurry; it’s not worth taking the risk.
Luckily, you can follow some helpful tips to drive more attentively and make doing so easier. This guide will go over how you can be a more attentive driver.
What To Do If You’re In An Accident Because Of Distracted Driving?
According to statistics from the United States Department of Transportation, distracted driving causes over 3,500 deaths each year and many more injuries. Driving attentively is vital to keeping yourself and others safe. Still, you may have questions about what to do if you’re in a wreck because of distracted driving.
Suppose you weren’t at fault, and another distracted driver hit you. In that case, it’s helpful to reach out to a personal injury attorney for advice and assistance. However, if you caused the accident, you’ll need to cover the damages through your insurance.
Types Of Distracted Driving To Avoid
The first step to becoming a more attentive driver is to realize what qualifies as distracted driving. Overall, anything that takes your eyes away from the road or draws your attention away from driving is distracted driving.
However, some of the most common things that distract drivers include:
- Texting and other activities on cell phones
- Eating while driving
- Putting makeup on in the car
- Looking at the GPS
- Listening to loud music
While doing some of these things might seem necessary at the time, it’s best to pull over and stop your vehicle.
Tips For Being A More Attentive Driver
Now that you understand more about the kinds of distracted driving, let’s look at specific ways you can become a more attentive driver.
- Put your cell phone away while driving: One of the most important things you can do to be a more attentive driver is to not use your cell phone. It’s imperative not to send any texts while you’re operating the vehicle. But, keep in mind that even taking a phone call can distract you.
- Set up your GPS before starting the vehicle: While you don’t have to turn your cell phone off while driving, you should get your GPS route set up before leaving.
- Make playlists or play CDs: Driving while listening to music isn’t necessarily bad, but looking through your phone to find the right song is dangerous. Instead, you can set up playlists or use voice commands to change the song.
- Try to give yourself extra time for your routes: Often, people are tempted to do things like to eat or do their makeup because they are running late. So, if you adjust your schedule and give yourself extra time, you’ll be less likely to drive while distracted.
Committing to being an attentive driver is the final step you can take to avoid distracted driving. If you focus on being a good driver who follows the rules of the road, you’ll keep yourself, your passengers, and other drivers and pedestrians safe.
