Why do people still drive distracted?

Like most other drivers, you have probably seen plenty of campaigns telling you not to drive distracted. Yet many drivers still engage in distracted driving, and it continues to be a significant factor in a lot of the crashes that occur each day.

Most people would like to think of themselves as both good drivers and law-abiding citizens, so why is this one area still such an issue for so many people?

People often don’t realize they are doing it

If you ask a driver if they are distracted at any given moment, they may well tell you they are not, or at least not really – even if you can clearly see they are.

There is a bit of a misunderstanding about what distracted means. It’s partly down to so much of the attention of safety campaigns being focused on not using your phone while driving. And it’s partly down to drivers failing to grasp just how distracting many of the things they and other drivers regularly do are. For example:

• Drinking and eating while driving is highly normal. Whole industries have been built up around making this possible. Yet consuming requires at least one hand, some of your attention, and some attention from your eyes. So it can be a physical, cognitive and visual distraction.
• Using the controls in your vehicle also seems a normal part of driving. But, whether you are changing stations, programming a route or adjusting the temperature, those controls can again distract you in all three ways. 
• Engaging with your passengers is another normal part of a journey. Even if you were to try to tell your passengers you intend to drive in silence and pay them no attention, they’d likely try to get it. Conversations take your mind and perhaps your eyes off the road, and you may also remove a hand from the wheel to gesticulate.

Doing your best to avoid distraction yourself is no guarantee that you will stay safe on the roads. Your safety is also dependent on those you share the road with. If one of them injures you, considering whether they were distracted is often a worthwhile line of investigation in your quest for compensation.