Avoid Distraction

Distracted Driving takes on many forms. In the past, it used to be reading a road atlas or a book while driving. Now people are driving with the cell phones or tablets in their hand while trying to control their 4,000 pound vehicle. It's important to remember that distracted driving can also include eating, grooming, drinking, listening to or adjusting the radio or MP3 player, using the GPS, talking to passengers, or watching a video, just to name a few activities. Inexperienced drivers are particularly susceptible to these kinds of distractions. This is why nearly all states have a Graduated Driving License (GDL) law, most of which ban cell phone use until a teen driver turns 18 years old. 

• Do not use cell phones while driving; pull over, if necessary
  Driving distractions are serious and have become an increasingly problematic issue, par-ticularly with the ongoing use of cell phones and blackberries. At the least, a cell phone conversation while driving takes away much of your attention. More serious, and recently with fatal consequences, is text messaging while driving. Texting not only distracts drivers from the mental processes required for driving, but it forces drivers to look away from the road, often for extended periods.
• Music can be helpful to a driver, particularly on long journeys, however, it should be kept in mind that your focus is to be on the road at all times
• Do not allow extraneous distractions such as eating, reading, applying makeup, texting, using a PDA or game console
• Do not allow disruptive passengers to ride with you
  In addition, the combination of loud music and chattering passengers can take our focus off the road.
  Things happen fast while we’re driving, and keeping this in mind can reduce acci-dents and prevent the potential for tragic events that all too often occur due to driving distractions.