Distracted Driving and Automobile Safety

Something that our team here at THW takes very seriously is automobile safety. As automobile deaths are proven to be occurring more and more frequently, it is the perfect time to really stop and take time to consider how to achieve the safest driving conditions as possible. Something that may be contributing to the steady incline in automobile related accidents, and even fatal crashes, could potentially be the rise in the use of technology in vehicles. Think about it—the more there is to do in your car besides entirely focusing on driving, the more likely you are to become a distracted driver.

From the use of GPS apps on mobile phones to adjusting music on a handheld device, there are so many ways to utilize technology while driving. Although the use of smart interfaces in dashboards can be a sure way to limit the number of times drivers turn to their phones, it can still pose a huge risk and distraction for those behind the wheel. Whenever there is a distraction present, the risk of an accident increases drastically.

Although it is not as simple as determining which factors cause distractions, it certainly can be helpful to note the data correlations between the rise in the use of technology while driving and the rise of automobile related accidents and deaths amongst all age groups. Perhaps the goal should not be perfection in these situations, but instead maybe just mindfulness. The more we take the time to think about what we are doing, the more we can choose to limit our distracted tendencies while operating vehicles. By choosing to realize the power in which we are operating, we can maybe wait just a few extra minutes to respond to a text or change the music that is playing.

Although laws in most states are cracking down on certain distractions while driving, there are still so many variables when it comes to driving safely. As the data continues to roll in, we will be studying it to know as much as we can about the correlation between technology and safety, and how we can all be safe while on the road.