Strategies to avoid distracted driving

Today, drivers have more ways to become distracted behind the wheel. Each year across the country, thousands of people lose their lives and many others are injured in accidents involving distracted driving. Here are some tips California drivers can use to avoid distracted driving themselves.

Commit to the task at hand

Driving requires full attention and focus. Drivers must commit to always keeping their eyes on the road and their hands on the steering wheel. At highway speeds, a car can travel the length of a football field in only a few seconds. If a driver is checking or sending texts or even adjusting the radio, he or she may not have time to avoid a collision.

Keep the phone stashed

One of the biggest culprits to the increase in distracted driving and the accidents they cause is the use of smartphones while driving. Many phone users receive text while their driving to which they feel they must respond immediately. The text can wait. If not, the driver should pull over or stop at location to answer the text, check social media, etc. Even using handsfree technology is not the answer because it still uses a driver’s cognitive abilities, which should be used on driving safely.

Plan your route ahead of time

GPS is also another feature of smartphone as well as in-car navigation systems. A driver should plan the route before taking to the road. If adjustments are needed to the route during travel, the driver should pull over or stop somewhere to adjust the GPS.

These are but a few suggestions to help drivers remain focused on the task of driving. Hopefully by doing so, they can avoid causing an accident, especially one in which a person is seriously injured or killed. If a person does suffer injuries in a car accident caused by a distracted driver, he or she reserves the right to seek compensation from the driver deemed responsible through a civil lawsuit.