Some people wrongly assume that they can multitask well. The truth is that your brain has difficulty performing two things at once. In the car, if you multitask, you may have limited reaction time. You may miss events and obstacles outside of your vehicle.
Workers who spend at least part of their workdays driving are prone to distracted driving, explains the CDC. Workers are more likely to be on their phones, to think about work or to hurry to their destination.
What constitutes distracted driving?
There are three types of distractions:
- Cognitive
- Manual
- Visual
Cognitive distractions include thinking about work or your next appointment. They also include phone conversations and arguments with your passengers. Manual distractions may include using a hand-held device, eating, applying makeup or rummaging through your car while driving. Visual distractions take your eyes off of the road entirely. This could be due to reading a text message, looking out your window at a crash site and other activities that take your eyes off of the road.
How can workers prevent distracted driving?
To prevent distracted driving, workers should pull over before texting or calling. Never use the device while behind the wheel. If you need to adjust your GPS, do so before you start driving. Emotional conversations can also serve as a distraction. If a conversation heads in that direction or if your thoughts wander so much that you cannot focus on driving, pull over until you can focus. There is always a chance that the vehicles, pedestrians and everything else around you may require you to brake suddenly.
