Distracted driving is the leading factor in most crashes and near-crashes, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Virginia Tech Transportation Institute. Driving is a visual task and non-driving activities that draw the driver's eyes away from the roadway should always be avoided.
3 Types of Driving Distraction
There are three main types of driving distraction:
- Visual - taking your eyes off the road.
- Manual - taking your hands off the wheel.
- Cognitive - taking your mind off the drive.
Texting is the most alarming distraction because it involves all three types of distraction.
Driving Hands-Free is the Law.
Did you know? A new hands-free law took effect on June 30, 2023, making it illegal to manually use a cell phone or other mobile electronic device while operating a vehicle on Michigan roads. Under the law, a driver cannot hold or support a phone or other device with any part of their hands, arms, or shoulders. Even if a cell phone or other device is mounted on your dashboard or connected to your vehicle’s built-in system, you cannot use your hands to operate it beyond a single touch. The law makes holding or manually using a cell phone or other mobile electronic device while operating a vehicle a primary offense - which means an officer can stop and ticket drivers for this violation.
How to Stay Focused and Not be Distracted from the Road:
- Use your phone's Do Not Disturb feature or an app to silence calls and texts.
- Put your phone in the glove box or elsewhere to curb the urge to look at it.
- Avoid eating, drinking, and smoking while driving.
- Never attempt to read while driving, including a map.
- Do not do any personal grooming or adjust your clothing while driving.
- Avoid a lot of interaction with passengers.
- Emotions can interfere with driving. Do not drive when you are angry or upset.
- Keep music at a reasonable level and avoid using headphones or earbuds.
- Pull over to a safe location and park your vehicle if you need to make or take a call.
- Do not drive with a pet on your lap.
- Ask a passenger to help navigate, change the music, or monitor your texts.
- Pull over to a safe place to address situations involving children.
- Do not daydream when you are behind the wheel.
Information referenced from the Michigan.gov website.