Inside and Outside the Car: Looking at Countless Dangerous Driving Distractions
There is a lot more to the subject of distracted driving than cell phone use and texting and driving. There are actually countless ways that you can become distracted while driving – and we are going to attempt to list most of them here!
In general, driving distractions can be divided into two broad categories – distractions that occur inside your vehicle, and external distraction that happen outside of your vehicle. Let’s take a look at both types of distractions:
Distractions Inside the Car
Distractions inside the car are the things, people or objects that are in your car that can take your eyes or attention off the road. They include:
- Cell phones
- Radio and loud music
- GPS
- Books and newspapers
- Passengers
- Smoking
- Children
- Pets
- Food and drink
- Reaching for objects
- Adjusting clothing
- Adjust your seat or mirrors
- Laptops, tablets, and other mobile devices
Distraction Outside of the Car
Distractions outside of the car are things that you have less control over, but still need avoid to maintain your focus on the road. External distractions include:
- Accident scenes
- Other drivers
- Pedestrians
- Cyclists
- Construction
- Street vendors and panhandlers
- Cool cars
- Sidewalk commotion
- Buildings and architecture
- Police and emergency vehicles
- Weather
- Advertising and billboards
Driver Specific Distractions
There are also a number of driver specific distractions, including:
- Day dreaming
- Fatigue
- Conversations with other people
- Illness
- Cognitive distractions
As you can see, the number of potential driving distractions is almost endless. As a driver, it is your job to minimize these distractions about focus on the task at hand – Being a safe and responsible driver.
Did we miss any? What other driving distractions would you add to our list?