We all know that one of the worst things that we can do while behind the wheel is give in to the distractions around us. For most people, just driving around town doesn’t necessarily tempt them to indulge their distractions too much, as there’s not much that’s so pressing that you can’t just take care of it when you’ve stopped or reached your destination. But when you’re driving as part of a road trip, it’s often much easier to let thing slide that you ordinarily wouldn’t, which can put you and everyone else on the road in danger of getting into a car accident or worse. So to keep this from happening to you, here are three tips for avoiding distracted driving while on a road trip.
Keep The Right Things At Arm’s Reach
If you’re going to be spending hours on the road, you might need to reach for something during that time. To do this safely, DMV.org recommends that you keep the right things at arm’s reach and keep the wrong things out of arm’s reach. For example, you might need to keep your GPS mounted close by so you can see it. Additionally, you may need to have a drink or some simple snacks around to keep your energy up. However, you shouldn’t keep things like your phone too close to you, as you might be tempted to check on the alerts that you get, which could distract you and put you in danger.
Don’t Try To Multitask
Apart from the distraction of your cell phone, the next thing people often allow themselves to get distracted by when driving as part of a road trip is their attempts at multitasking. While you might think you’re great at multitasking when you’re at home, this is not something you should try to do when you’re driving. According to Liza Barth, a contributor to Consumer Reports, this means you shouldn’t do things like put on makeup, shave, set up your GPS, or eat foods that require two hands or can get unruly. The more of your attention that you’re taking away from your driving, the more danger you’re putting everyone around you in.
Secure Everything You’re Stowing
One thing that can quickly draw your attention away from the road is having something happen within your car that wasn’t expected. To reduce the chances of something like this taking place, AARP advises that you secure all the cargo that you have in your car. By doing this, you’ll ensure that sudden turns or bumps won’t throw things all around the car and cause you to have to reach for something that should have been strapped down in the first place.
To help you have safer road trips in the future, consider using the tips mentioned above to help reduce your instances of distracted driving.
