The Main Categories of Distracted Driving

There are several ways to be distracted while driving. Due to modernized society where vehicles can do the talking as much as the passengers do and car entertainment systems are competing to be the best and where texting or posting to social media is just one touch away these days. No wonder drivers can be easily distracted.

There are three categories of distraction that compromises the driver’s bad driving habits causing road accidents.

1. Cognitive Distractions

Long distance travels may sometimes feel uninteresting but it actually needs a constant attention and be extra careful when driving. Cognitive distraction is when your concentration takes over at the wheel.

We sometimes focus on the issues and pressures of everyday life. That feeling of extreme tiredness because of stress could lead to wandering of mind and don’t even remember driving at all. A number of drivers are more involve in cognitive distraction like answering phone calls while driving that is twice as dangerous as drunk driving either using hand-held or hands-free device.

AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety study shows that even music can be also a factor of distracted driving. Focused on the driving routines of teenagers found that singing or moving to music was the problem of some car crashes that happened during the review.

2. Visual Distractions

The study conducted by AAA focuses on the reasons behind what cause the driver to divert his or her attention and found that being busy inside the car is one of them. The distraction of looking at something outside the vehicle was also a factor in accidents the teens were involved in.

You can never know how much you can miss just in the blink of an eye by just being diverted to something for just seconds. It may look like it is not big of a deal but the longer your eyes were focused on something else, study says your driving is at risk.

3. Manual Distractions

Manual distraction is the physical separation from the steering wheel or pedals unlike the other two distractions it is easy to fall prey to it without realizing. It might look like harmless as changing the radio station or putting on a seatbelt or it could be drinking, eating a meal or putting on makeup is still a dangerous behavior in terms of driving.

4. The Triple Threats

This is the combination of the three categories (cognitive, visual and manual distraction). Interacting with others is the most common type of triple threat whether through phone or in-person. It is said to be the most dangerous driving distraction in studies done on the subject.

On a survey conducted by the University of Illinois, a passenger that is aware of what is happening inside the car could lessen the possibility of an accident to occur. Other triple threats that are less common but still a part of distracted driving can be found under the category of grooming such as applying makeup (mascara, eyeliner or foundation).