Don’t be a distracted driver, says AAA

To recognize Distracted Driving Awareness Month, AAA Carolinas warns motorists to avoid  activities that divert attention from the primary driving task. Numerous distractions exist that could endanger drivers, passengers, or others sharing the road, such as bicyclists or pedestrians. “While we’ve made some progress in the past few years by raising awareness about risky driving behaviors, distraction continues to be a contributing factor to deaths and injuries on our Carolina roadways,” said Dave Parsons, President and CEO of AAA Carolinas. “We all have a responsibility to avoid dangerous distractions while driving.” Distractions were responsible for vehicle crashes leading to 3,179 deaths and 431,000 injuries in 2014, according to the most recent data provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Driving distractions come in all forms. A few examples are:

Texting
Using a handheld or hands-free cell phone
Conversing with passengers
Eating/drinking
Using a navigation system (GPS)
Personal grooming

Ellectronic devices are among the well-known and common sources of distraction for drivers. Text messaging behind the wheel is one of the riskiest behaviors a driver can do as it involves manual, visual, and mental distraction simultaneously. Any kind of cell phone use can be risky. There is a public misperception that using a hands-free cell phone reduces risk but research states otherwise.