Are you Guilty of Being a Distracted Driver?

We’ve all encountered the temptation to answer our phones or respond to that one text while cruising down the road. You think it would be so easy to just pick up the phone and type out a quick message, what’s the harm, right? WRONG! It only takes seconds for something unexpected to happen and cause a collision, and we want you and your family members to stay safe when you’re behind the wheel.

Here are four easy steps to take to make sure you are being a safe driver:

1. Don’t Eat or Drink While Driving. Sometimes the car rides are long and don’t want to stop for a quick bite, we get it. But having open containers in your vehicle introduce the risk of spilling and the subsequent frantic cleaning that always follows. Try to eat and drink before and after your trips, or pull over if you’re really hungry to avoid a potential accident.

2. Get Organized. Make sure your vehicle is free of anything that could potentially spill, get knocked over, or inhibit your driving! Driving with clutter all over a vehicle is a recipe for disaster. Make sure everything you packed is properly stowed away, including your electronics!

3. Never Use a Phone While Driving. We are all guilty of this, but if you have to make or receive a phone call and hands-free driving is not an option, pull over to the side of the road. Even driving hands-free can cause an accident because you are partially distracted, so if you must take that phone call, do so when your vehicle is safely parked away from on-coming traffic.

4. Never Drive Drowsy. According to the NHTSA, being tired while driving plays a part in over 100,000 crashes annually. If you’re starting to feel tired, listen to your body and pull off the road to take a quick nap!

We are always on the go, and we want to get wherever we’re going NOW. Trust us, arriving safely to your desired destination is more important than shaving off a few minutes in travel time. Know someone who’s guilty of ones of these distracted driving habits? Have a conversation about how their driving could impact them and the people around them.