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Distractions

Are you driving to distraction?

Not everything in life is under your control.
But driving is.

When you're behind the wheel, YOU control your fate.

That's why when you're driving your one and only focus should be ON driving.

• Did you know that traffic crashes are OFTEN caused by the WAY we drive?

Devote your complete and undivided attention to driving.

Distraction: When something happens to divert your attention somewhere other than on the road - it could be for only a second or two, but in that time your car could go flying into another car, a tree or a pedestrian.

Here's what you need to "no" about driving to distraction:

• No eating or drinking
• No fiddling with the radio, cassettes or CDs
• No talking on the phone
• No smoking
• No reaching down to pick up things
• No putting on makeup or checking the vanity mirror

Don't let yourself be distracted by:

• Vehicles, drivers, crash scenes, road construction, animals or people outside
• Conversations or actions of other people in your car
• Pets, bugs, spilled drinks, purses, water bottles, groceries or other packages
• Signals or controls, mirrors, lights, windshield wipers, windows

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Photo on this page courtesy of AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety

Questions about the content of this page:
Patricia Hansen, patricia.hansen@dot.state.wi.us
Last modified: March 8, 2005