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Learn To Drive: Examples of Dangerous Distractions

Nearly 80 percent of crashes and 65 percent of near-crashes involved some form of driver inattention within three seconds before the event
Created by Rafaël Masséfrom the Noun Project

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Learn To Drive: Examples of Dangerous Distractions

Learn To Drive – Examples of Dangerous Distractions

Nearly 80 percent of crashes and 65 percent of near-crashes involved some form of driver inattention within three seconds before the event              (NHTSA Data 2006)

I’m always amazed by the things people try to do while driving: putting on mascara, cuddling pets, reading books and studying maps.  I even saw a man driving with a video camera pressed to his face one crowded holiday weekend.  He was doing 60 mph on a 6-lane highway at the time!

Most adult drivers have sipped a coffee, downed a sandwich or changed a radio station at some point while they were behind the wheel.  They’ve lived to tell the tale, so how bad could it be?

The fact is that each year, drivers who take their eyes off the road ‘just for a moment’, cause thousands of crashes.   Spilled coffee, poked eyes and dropped CDs have caused thousands more.

Any distraction can be deadly, but novice drivers like you are particularly at risk because you don’t have a lot of skill or experience yet.  As you learn to drive safely you need to practice on not being distracted.  Make it part of your Drivers ED checklist.  Have your parents advise you when a distraction is happening and make sure your attention to driving  is not affected.  Look for more information in the Driving Lessons sections of the Workbook and the Video Library.  Click the link below to go to Driving Lesson 2. 

Learn To Drive: Driving Lessons Video Library

Anne Marie Hayes
Anne Marie Hayes
I am an advocate for driving safety, armed with a passion for educationg and promoting safe driving habits to teens, parents, and seniors alike. I am a member of the board of directions of NOYS (National Organizations for Youth Safety) and a member of GHSA (Governor's Highway Safety Association), as well as a member of 7 international driving safety organizations. I hold a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from York University, and I am a certified driving instructor. I am also the author of "3 keys to keeping Your Teen Alive: Lessons for Surviving the First Year of Driving." which provides parents and their teens the tools to keep them safe while driving. 

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One thought on “Learn To Drive: Examples of Dangerous Distractions

  1. I have known two different people who have suffered serious injuries in auto accidents caused by distracted driving. It is becoming more and more common every year and we all need to work together to try and decrease the amount of accidents caused by distracted driving. This looks like a great read.

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