Types of Driving Distractions
Driving distractions fall three categories, any of which can result in accidents and being at fault.
- Visual: Anything that takes your eyes off the road
- Manual: Anything that takes your hands off the steering wheel
- Cognitive: Anything that takes your mind off of concentrating on driving
With texting, it is pretty easy to see that it impacts all three distractions. You see you have a text and read it, so you take your eyes off the road. You grab your phone, taking your hands off the wheel. You then concentrate on the text, so your mind is not focused. Before you know it, you have traveled the half a length of a football in a matter of seconds without looking up from your phone.
Music Devices While Driving = Danger
If you are like many of us, you use your mobile device to stream your music in the car. And, depending on your vehicle, it may seamlessly integrate with your phone so you can have better control of your tunes through the car’s existing stereo consul.
But, it can still be very distracting. For example, you may have Spotify and while driving, it may strike you that you do not have the Bieber Fever. So, you go to the phone or consul to pull up a playlist or artist you are more interested in. In doing so you have removed a hand from the wheel, taken your eyes off the road, and are now thinking about what you would rather listen too. Then, bam, it hits you that you want to listen to that famous band of yesteryear, Crash Test Dummies.
Distracted driving is distracted driving. Even if you were not “texting” the danger is still the same if fiddling with your music devices while driving.
Setting up Your Tunes to Avoid Distraction
Before hitting the road, take a moment to set up your music and make sure you have the right playlist going. Also, make sure you familiarize yourself with your music app and how it integrates with your car’s stereo systems. Some cars allow you to control such apps as Pandora simply by using the radio preset buttons on the car’s consul.
The fact is, some studies show that playing music in the car can help you focus while driving. But sometimes, you may just have to grin and bear it through that song that you may not be into, versus pulling up your phone or iPod and clicking over to another artist, playlist or Pandora station. Remember cassettes or the radio? Sometimes you just had to ride it out until you got to the good songs. But, at least you weren’t distracted and you were more focused on the road.
How to Use this Information
Here at Accurate Auto Body, we want you to stay safe. And, we all know you like your tunes while driving. Just take a moment before driving to get your songs set up so you are not trying to do so while driving down the road at 65 miles per hour. But, if you should happen to get into an accident and need auto body repair, we can help. Call us at 303-344-2212 or contact us online.
