Wow! Look at that bird perched in the tree! Not while you are driving you don’t. It is inevitable things will catch you eye while behind the wheel, but paying too much attention to anything not related to driving can not only be dangerous, it can be deadly.
A vast majority of vehicular accidents occur due to distracted driving of one type or another. While many the police take action against distracted driving by upholding stringent safety laws regarding what you are or are not allowed to do while driving, there are still so many things in this world that can take our eyes off the road. As with anything else, you have to pay attention to what you are doing. Driving is no different. In fact, it is perhaps one of the most important actions we take in which we must pay close attention to what we are doing.
We have learned through previous articles the importance of maintaining your focus and practicing defensive driving. Neither of those can be accomplished while you are distracted. Paying attention to the road also helps to ease anxiety of your passengers. If you are constantly looking at other things, the person in the passenger seat will begin to notice your lack of focus while driving. This can make people very uneasy. You don’t want your passengers to be fearful of your ability to keep them safe while in your car. Maintain focus and keep your eyes on the road. Your passenger will feel much safer if they notice you are cautious and careful while driving, and trust us, they will notice.
Put down the chocolate bar, certainly do not use your mobile phone while driving, and don’t stare at billboards or the people in a car next to you. Maintain focus and concentrate on the task at hand: Driving. If you are not focused on utilizing the proper driving skills you have obtained, the dangers of having an accident or running over a road hazard increase greatly. Don’t let your guard down just to find out you should have been paying attention to the road.
