Driving may feel like riding a bike, for lack of a better term, after you’re doing it for a while. You get comfortable, you know your routes, and high-stress situations probably don’t bother you as much.
But there is such a thing as too comfortable, don’t you think? Yeah, you probably won’t get into an accident if you’re checking your phone, fiddling with your music, or trying to grab something from the backseat, but you seriously elevate your risk of crashing while doing so.
Distracted driving is just one of the many reasons everyday Joes get into some pretty nasty situations—which is unfortunate, since it's the one thing you have control of, in terms of not being the cause of a collision.
What Is Distracted Driving?
If you didn’t already know, distracted driving broadly covers anything and everything that takes your attention off the task at hand. This could mean taking your eyes off the road, your hands off the wheel, eating, using a cell phone or GPS, or even daydreaming.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shared that over three thousand Americans were killed due to distracted driving in 2023, making up 8% of fatal crashes. The NHTSA also shared that approximately 32,000 people have died in distracted driving-related accidents since 2014.
In Canada, the numbers are higher. Distracted driving made up over 20% of fatal collisions and over 25% of serious injury collisions as recently as 2021. To put it simply, at least a quarter of Canadian car accidents take place due to distracted driving.
The broader North American numbers are also staggering. According to the OACP, the National Safety Council says driver distraction is a factor in about four million motor vehicle crashes across the continent. It also says that texting while driving is six times more likely to cause a collision than driving under the influence, although you shouldn’t do that either.
Large infotainment centers are only making things worse. The Globe and Mail published an article last year that shared the OPP’s 2024 collision numbers for the province of Ontario. Out of 63 fatal crashes, 21% were caused by distracted driving. This is a 40% jump from the 2023 numbers, which reported a total of 43, or 15%, of fatal collisions for the same reason.
Journalist Andrew Clark writes:
“That’s like being shocked that drivers can be distracted in cars with giant digital screens where they must use the screens to perform almost every basic function, from changing the temperature to lowering the volume. Those screens can also show you text messages or be used to order a pizza or find a movie theatre. Distracted driving on the increase, how can this possibly be?”
This statement was only solidified by an American Automobile Association Foundation study, which shared that almost 40% of U.S drivers use infotainment systems in their cars. It also shared the different levels of demand for 30 vehicle infotainment systems. None of these vehicles made it into the ‘low demand’ category.
Tips To Be Less Distracted
As we said before, it’s not inevitable that you, yourself, will crash if you want to take a sip of your coffee while on the highway, but the numbers are crystal clear.
To avoid a potential collision on the road, consider doing the following:
- Put your phone on Do Not Disturb, and place it out of your reach.
- Map out your route and pick your music before putting the car into drive. The same goes for adjusting any in-vehicle settings.
- Finishing getting ready at home. If you’re running late, let someone know instead of rushing.
- If need be, pull over to the side of the road to deal with any potential distractions.
- Be an active driver. Instead of letting your mind wander as you drive, make sure to keep scanning your mirrors and remain aware of what’s going on around you.
