In high school, driving starts to become a necessity. Students are busy with social lives, and studies. Everyone goes back and forth from school, sports, and work; most of the time running late.
While caught up in rushes, many students don’t think about driving safely. Sure putting on your seatbelt, not texting, and staying sober have been drilled into students’ heads, but do high school students know what it takes to be safe? For those who are usually passengers or “burdens”, safety might not register as their number one priority.
According to distraction.gov, 11% of all drivers under the age of 20 involved in fatal crashes were reported as distracted at the time of the crash and 18% of injury crashes were reported as distraction-affected crashes. Many blame texting for the cause of distracted driving, but it only accounts to only 28% of all crashes.
The CDC says that there are three main types of distraction:
Visual—taking your eyes off the road
Manual—taking your hands off the wheel
Cognitive—taking your mind off what you are doing
Texting, calling, and grooming are some of the most common distractions, but eating, adjusting the radio, and even talking to passengers can all account for distracted driving. These distractions make it difficult for you to be focused on your primary task and potentially cause an accident.
Passengers can also contribute to being a distraction. Talking or physical contact can result in the driver not having their minds on the road. For those who like to correct the driver’s abilities, road rage can be formed by constant irritation.
So what are some ways you or a passenger can take to be safe? Here are some steps that drivers can do to ensure safety:
1. Keep cellphones hidden were you can’t reach it, or even be tempted by it.
2. Double check if you and your passenger are buckled up
3. Eat your food before or after you drive
4. Girls (or guys) do your grooming when you’re not on the road
5. Use the presets on your radio so you don’t have to keep your eyes of the road, and you can easily change the station when “Diamonds” by Rihanna comes on. (If you use an iPod, make sure you keep it on shuffle.)
Some steps that passengers can take to ensure safety include:
1. Don’t let your driver use their phone while on the road. Take it away if you need to.
2. Be the DJ. If you take control of the radio, make sure the song selection makes the driver happy.
3. Don’t have any physical contact with the driver. Punching or feeling up on the driver (yes ladies that includes you) can be a major distraction.
4. Keep the talking to a minimal. You want your driver to have their mind on the road.
5. DON’T CRITIZE THEIR DRIVING. The number one thing that can tick off a driver is someone yacking about how much their driving sucks. It can also cause the driver to develop road rage.
Being a safe driver can lower the risks of driving and potentially save lives. At the end of the day, drivers can be delighted by the fact they help keep the roads safer.
Additionally they can save on their insurance rates. Allstate Insurance rewards you a check for every six month you go accident free. So go ahead and treat yourself for a job well done. For any additional information on safe driving, you can visit www.KeeptheDrive.com.