What’s the Largest Distraction Whereas Driving? It Would possibly Shock You!

You’re driving alongside, the solar is setting and there’s a comfortable heat breeze. You’re listening to a track you’ve heard 100 occasions, driving a highway you’ve pushed twice a day, day by day for years. Your thoughts begins to wander, you’ve acquired one million various things to consider, proper?

A job as enjoyable as driving makes it simply that simple to get distracted within the tangle of every thing that’s weighing in your thoughts. Many drivers hear distracted driving and instantly consider texting as the primary perpetrator. But a research carried out by the Insurance coverage Institute for Freeway Security (IIHS) — utilizing knowledge gathered from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) — discovered {that a} staggering 64% of distracted drivers have been typically distracted or “misplaced in ideas” (daydreaming), as in comparison with solely 12% being distracted by cellphones.

“All of us run the danger of getting our thoughts wander whereas driving.” mentioned Bob Buckel, vp of private auto, Erie Insurance coverage. “It will be significant for all of us to repeatedly remind ourselves that issues can occur on the highway in a break up second, so it is necessary that we keep attentive whereas we’re behind the wheel.”

The Hazard of Distractions

Driving whereas distracted is at all times harmful and we extremely encourage drivers to stay vigilant, it doesn’t matter what day of the week or month it’s — keep centered on the highway forward. Daydreaming or letting your thoughts drift off decreases your consciousness of what’s taking place round you and delays response occasions, making it extremely harmful when working a car.

The IIHS used the data gathered from FARS to point out that essentially the most harmful days for distraction-based accidents in 2020 have been Saturdays in August. Inversely, Mondays in April have been proven to be the least harmful days. In accordance with the information offered, almost half of all lethal crashes occurred on both a Friday, Saturday or Sunday. Crashes happen extra usually within the occasions we discover essentially the most enjoyable, corresponding to these weekend getaways.  

The IIHS additionally compiled their 2020 record of the highest distraction varieties that led to lethal accidents. The highest 5 are:

1. 64% – Usually Distracted or “misplaced in ideas” (daydreaming)
2. 12% – Cellphone utilization (speaking, listening, dialing, texting)
3. 8% – Exterior individual, object or occasion
4. 5% – Different occupants (speaking with or different individuals in automobile)
5. 4% – Different distraction, not specified

Staying Alert

To assist carry consciousness to the hazards of driving whereas distracted, ERIE reached out to Paul Atchley, Ph.D., an internationally acknowledged cognitive behavioral researcher. Atchley has been studying distracted driving for over 20 years, and he recommended a number of tricks to help drivers remain alert behind the wheel.

• By no means change boredom with a distraction. Within the trendy world, that is usually executed by grabbing our telephones and scrolling or answering that textual content you simply heard ding. Reaching in your telephone whereas behind the wheel is harmful. As an alternative, fill that boredom with a recreation of focus, corresponding to “I Spy.”
• Hold hazard notion sharp. This refers to realizing the place to look on the highway and recognizing what is occurring round you that would end in you needing to behave. This stuff can embody others shortly altering lanes, pedestrians crossing the road or automobiles altering speeds.  
• Carpooling with different skilled drivers. Having a second skilled driver within the car with you acts as a second set of skilled eyes that may additionally carry gentle dialog to assist maintain your thoughts centered.
• Keep away from listening to the identical playlists. Imagine it or not, that track you’ve heard 100 occasions and may recite phrase for phrase truly makes daydreaming simpler. Attempt to shake it up, placed on a brand new playlist or let a channel play you’ve by no means listened to earlier than. It should show you how to stay extra vigilant and possibly discover a new favourite track!
• Use a type of passive engagement. Passive engagement comes from one thing that engages your thoughts to focus, corresponding to listening to a podcast or radio present. In accordance with Atchley, the energy of passive engagement in a state of affairs corresponding to driving is your mind can mechanically tune it out when it must with a purpose to be totally centered on the brand new job. Ever recall a second that shortly drew your consideration and the background noise, corresponding to a radio, is immediately not in your recollections of that second?

Bringing Peace of Thoughts

Right here at ERIE, we insure your vehicles, however we care deeply for the security of our prospects, which is why we encourage you to at all times stay vigilant and keep away from distractions on the highway. April is Distracted Driving Month, however we really feel this can be a trigger to face behind all 12 months lengthy. Ensure that to succeed in out to a local ERIE Agent to study your choices for staying protected, it doesn’t matter what you encounter on the highway forward.