10 driving distractions that could cost you dearly

Distractions are one of the leading causes of accidents with casualties on our roads. These are the most common distractions while driving, and the best way to avoid them.

Distractions. Every time you take your attention off the road, for whatever reason, it is as if you were driving blind: you will not be prepared for any unexpected event that may arise. Think about it: at 100 km/h, every second your car travels more than 25 metres. Multiply that figure by the number of seconds you take your eyes off the road doing anything while driving. And there are many small things we keep doing behind the wheel that cause distractions and can lead to an accident.

How can we avoid these distractions while driving? The only way is to be aware of them and change our bad habits so we don’t fall into them. These are the main distractions we commit at the wheel.

1.- Talking on the mobile phone.

A mobile phone in the car is very useful… charged and within reach, in case something unexpected happens. Talk or answer a call only if you have hands-free… and if possible, not even that. A fact: according to the DGT, using a mobile phone increases the risk of having an accident by between four and nine times, as it lengthens normal reaction time, even if you think you are paying attention to the road. The loss of attention caused by talking on the phone while driving is equivalent to driving with 1 g/litre of alcohol in the blood.

In 2017 alone, the improper use of mobile phones caused more than 500 road fatalities. It is undoubtedly one of the most frequent and at the same time most dangerous causes of distraction. So much so that the DGT is considering updating the Law on Civil Liability in Insurance and Motor Vehicles, so that drivers themselves would bear the damages caused in an accident if it is shown to have been caused by improper use of a mobile phone.

2.- Reading WhatsApp messages.

More of the same, and one of the main causes of improper mobile phone use while driving, above calls. If you think you are very skilful with your fingers when writing messages one-handed, be careful. Writing a WhatsApp message, even a short one, can take you at least 5 to 8 seconds, if not more. In that time, at 120 km/h, your car covers more than 350 metres, during which at some point you will have looked away from the road. You multiply the risk of an accident by more than 20!! If your car is compatible with Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, you can already have your messages read aloud, though our advice is that during the journey it is best not to answer calls or messages.

3.- Programming the satnav

The same applies as with the mobile phone… if it is not the phone itself that you use as a satnav. Entering a destination by hand and choosing navigation settings or the route that interests you takes time. It is better to do it while stationary, before starting the journey. Or stop to do it, as it does not take that long. The other option, if your car has the system, is to do it through voice control.

4.- Changing radio station, CD or USB stick

Same equation as in the previous cases: it will take less time, but selecting a station or searching for a song requires seconds during which the car keeps moving. Prepare your selection at home, and if changes have to be made while driving, ideally ask your front-seat passenger for help.

5.- Vehicle occupants are also a distraction

This has been proven. The greater the number of passengers on board, the greater the chance of being distracted. And the risk multiplies when it comes to children and pets. You know how it is: looking in the rear-view mirror at the back seats, attending to passengers even if just to make conversation… These actions capture the driver’s attention and cause small distractions.

Here are some tips for travelling with children, and here are a few tips that will come in handy when travelling with pets in the car.

6.- Leave personal worries at home

Mood influences driving, and causes many more distractions at the wheel than you might imagine. Stress, anxiety, depression… Keeping your mind occupied with what worries you, which you will hardly be able to solve while driving, leads to a lack of attention that increases the danger at the wheel. It is difficult, but it is best to try to set problems aside when it is time to get behind the wheel.

7.- Taking your eyes off the road

The scenery can be wonderful. But looking away from the road to take it in can cause an accident. The same goes if the distraction has any other cause. And in this regard there is one that is very common: looking away from the road to watch the consequences of an accident in the opposite direction. Remember this every time you feel tempted to look away from the road: at 100 km/h, your car covers a distance equal to the length of a football pitch in just 3 seconds.

8.- Smoking while driving

We say smoking, but the same can be applied to eating… or even drinking. In this regard, the Road Traffic Act and the Traffic Regulations are clear: they establish as a driver’s obligation that the driver maintain freedom of movement, the field of vision necessary to see well, and constant attention to driving. And smoking a cigarette is distracting, if only because one hand is occupied –or both at the moment of lighting the cigarette– and because you have to pay attention to where to flick the ash… By the way, you surely know that throwing a cigarette butt out of the window is an offence punishable by a loss of 4 points on your licence, and a fine of 200 euros.

9.- Operating touchscreens

Cars increasingly have infotainment systems. And, unfortunately, touchscreens are becoming more and more fashionable, replacing traditional buttons. I am of the opinion that it is easier to adjust the climate control, for example, with a rotary knob than by “navigating” through menus on a touchscreen, which in the end requires spending more time with one of your hands off the steering wheel. We have said it before, but we repeat it: especially if your car has no voice control or if you cannot operate the devices from the multifunction steering wheel, it is better to start driving “with your homework done”.

10.- Driving tired or sleepy

One of the factors that cause distractions that are hardest to manage, because many drivers are not even able to recognise or identify the symptoms of fatigue or tiredness. The best you can do is to bear in mind these tips for combating fatigue at the wheel.