Distracted driving creates many preventable road hazards that can cause serious car accidents in Louisiana. Operating a cellphone, trying to find an address, watching road construction and even having conversations with other passengers are all distractions.
Understanding how inattention can have such detrimental consequences may encourage people to think twice before multitasking behind the wheel.
Consequences
Many people lack to see the seriousness of distracted driving. However, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, some consequences of distraction include the following:
- Inability to respond to emergencies
- Inability to stop on time
- Compromised situational awareness
- Poor maintenance of lane position
- Jeopardized decision making
- Ignorance of traffic signals and signage
Each of these outcomes can result in severe property damage, traumatic injuries and fatalities. To accurately respond with control and confidence, motorists need to pay active attention to their surroundings. This means the elimination of any distractions.
Prevention
Drivers can prevent distractions when they make it a point to remove temptations. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration reminds people that texting and driving also include reading texts and pressing a single button to open a message. To prevent such temptations, people should put their cellphone away, out of reach, when they drive. They should see that children and pets are securely fastened in an appropriate restraint. They should properly store any cargo. Drivers should program radios, GPS units and all other devices prior to leaving. Conversations should remain under control and drivers should pay active attention to all traffic signals.
The decision to avoid and prevent distractions can potentially save lives. People can encourage their family and friends to participate in a collective effort to reduce the number of distracted drivers on the road.
