Multitasking And Driving Are Deadly Combinations

In driver’s ed courses, students are taught to focus on the task at hand. Unfortunately, this mindset seems to be dismissed by most drivers once they obtain their licenses. In today’s busy world, many people feel pressured to accomplish multiple tasks at once. Not only is multitasking unsafe, but the very act itself is deadly for thousands of drivers every year.

Some of the most common activities people engage in while driving include:

• Using cell phones for talking and texting and driving
• Preparing food and eating
• Reading or programming a GPS system
• Applying makeup or jewelry
• Switching music, or playing tunes too loudly
• Talking to others in the vehicle, with eyes off of the road

If you think you aren’t privy to multitasking while driving, chances are you have committed at least one of the above forms of distracted driving. While it is easy to tell yourself that engaging in multitasking just one time won’t hurt anything, the fact is that it only takes one false move to make a deadly error. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 3,331 people died as a result of distracted driving in 2011. 387,000 others were injured that same year.

The best way to prevent distracted driving accidents is to avoid multitasking every time you get behind the wheel. It is a mistake to believe that you are immune to these types of accidents—even the best drivers can make fatal mistakes in just seconds. Nothing is that urgent to risk your life on the road. If you must take care of an important matter, park in a safe spot and accomplish the task while you’re not driving.