4d -Cell Phones & Other Distractions

My Dasboard Part 1- Drivers Ed Lesson 4 – Ready to Drive 4d -Cell Phones & Other Distractions

4d -CELL PHONES AND OTHER DISTRACTIONS

There is no safe way to use a cell phone, including hands-free, while driving.

Distracted driving takes many forms, but cell phone use is at the top of the list.
Research shows that the brain remains distracted for 27 seconds after dialing, changing music, or sending a text using voice commands.

Almost everyone has seen a driver distracted by a cell phone, but often you don’t realize that you are distracted yourself.

Three types of distractions:

Traffic safety experts classify distractions into three main types: Manual, Visual and Cognitive:

Manual distractions are those where you move your hands from the wheel.
Visual distractions are those where you focus your eyes away from the road.
A cognitive distraction is when your mind wanders away from the task of driving.

Texting involves all three types of distraction.

There are many cases when you can lose your concentration.

Some are forbidden by law, like :
“Don’t drink alcohol and drive,”
“Don’t text and drive,” or
“Don’t take drugs and drive,”

But many other things are also very dangerous even if not punishable by law, like:
Smoking while driving.
Eating while driving,
Drinking hot coffee while driving.

Some are concerning your environment:
Arguing with passengers,
Crying babies on board,
dogs on board,
sleepiness, etc.

A wise and safe driver knows that these practices must be avoided, even if they are not punishable by law.

Go, Oscar GO!
Pay attention!
Even at slow speed!

Ask yourself this question:

What will be your main fear when traveling aboard a fully automatic car?

Until the technology is proven to be 100 percent safe, what would you trust the most for driving: a human brain or a Self-driving car’s computer?

Will you be willing to trust a computer with your life?
Well, your brain is a computer, it has to be trained the same way a computer has to be programmed. The thing is, you never know when a computer is going to crash, but you should know when your brain is falling asleep.

How well you are programming your brain, especially your subconscious mind, is a matter of life and death.

Would you be a passenger in a car with a disconnected computer or faulty sensors?

This is for the distant future, but until then, your brain is in charge while you are driving.

If your brain is distracted by doing other tasks, its sensors will not connect in time, the same as an automatic car with a sluggish computer.

JUST THINK ABOUT IT. When your phone is ringing with or without a hands-free device, you are concentrating on the voice, and what you are going to say, not on the road.

Unlike computers, multitasking has been proven not to be possible for humans.
You cannot have 100 PERCENT attention to every task you may perform simultaneously.

No matter how good you think you are, your attention is divided exactly as we said in the previous topic, like a mother supervising two toddlers wandering in a street.

If you think you are good at multitasking, you are making a dangerous mistake.

IT HAS BEEN SCIENTIFICALLY PROVEN THAT NO HUMAN CAN

Calls kill, even with hands-free devices.

That could be a distraction to you in a sense of entertainment, to fight boredom or loneliness, but could as well be a distraction in the sense of disturbance that would take away your awareness for a few vital seconds.

Driving requires 100 percent of your attention.
Anything you do besides looking at the road ahead takes your attention away, and that can lead to disaster.
Some “entertainment” is more dangerous than you think because you are still looking at the road but your brain is somewhere else.

U-Drive, U Text, U pay the Price.
According to a 2012 U.S. government research on distracted driving, approximately 421,000 people were injured in accidents involving distracted drivers.

Hands-free devices are NOT safe!
According to new research from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, which concludes that hands-free technologies used by almost a third of D.C. drivers can create mental distractions even if drivers have their hands on the wheel and eyes on the road.

Nothing is safe unless you give 100 percent attention to what is happening on the road. A multitasking test was done with experienced and professional drivers and to their surprise, they all failed.
Distracted driving takes many forms, but cell phone use is at the top of the list. You are driving with your baby in the back seat, you keep an eye on him through the rearview mirror, your hands-free phone is ringing, you check who is calling you, initiate a conversation still looking in the back of your car….from time to time you check the road ahead… Your eyes may “see” the road with one single glimpse, but your brain is somewhere else and does not respond accordingly to danger. So many things could have happened that would require an immediate response, and you were not ready. Research shows that the brain remains distracted for 27 seconds after dialing, changing music, or sending a text using voice commands. You do it so instinctively that you don’t realize that you are distracted.

Imagine you were a front passenger looking at a driver
multitasking while driving.
(watching the scenery, looking behind, looking at you…)
Would you feel comfortable? Would you feel safe?

DISTRACTION: a must-see for students and parents

What is distracted driving?

Distracted driving is any activity that could divert your attention away from the primary task of driving, including:

Talking to other passengers
Brushing and fixing hair
Applying makeup
Reading or checking directions
Using a navigation system or GPS
Watching videos
Adjusting the radio station or volume, CD player, or MP3 player.
Reading./ writing

What is illegal by law?

Drinking (alcohol) and driving,
Taking drugs and driving,
Texting or using a handheld device (phone) while driving.
But you could get a ticket if a policeman finds out you are distracted by eating during driving or other reason can could endanger people.

One of the most dangerous distractions?

Talking to passengers or in a hand-held device:

You turn your head instinctively to talk to them and take your attention away from the road ahead.
TALKING hand-held cell or TEXTING involves three different types of distraction simultaneously::

• Visual Taking your eyes off the road.
• Manual Taking your hands off the wheel.
• Cognitive, Taking your mind off driving. Even if you think you are “looking,” your brain does not register it as it should.-

Multitasking

The eyes of a chameleon move independently. He can focus on two opposite objects simultaneously with bidirectional vision.
Humans can’t, at least not yet!

Unlike chameleons, your eyes are moving together like one, that is what allows us to focus on a precise point. You cannot watch and focus on two different things at the same time, and your brain can only concentrate on one single point at a time.

Multitasking is physically not possible, even if you think so.

Ask the mother who keeps two toddlers running in different directions. She has to alternate her supervision, which is not so “super” after all… Something has to give up: Concentration on both kids at the same time.

Nevada Law:

The Department of Public Safety said of the crackdown: “Nevada’s ban on handheld devices took effect Jan. 1, 2012, and three years into the law, officers continue to observe and cite violators every day.” It added: “Nevada laws clearly state that any use of a handheld electronic device — cell phone, mp3 player, GPS device, etc. — while driving is illegal and offenders will be pulled over and cited.”

While the Highway Patrol notes that the distracted driving law is “being ignored” by many drivers, relatively few repeat violations are reported.

Enforcement of the Nevada bans is primary, meaning drivers can be stopped and cited for that reason alone. Cell phone use is allowed only if a hands-free accessory is employed throughout the call.

Nevada was the 34th state to ban texting while driving.

Current prohibitions:

All drivers are barred from using handheld cell phones.
Text messaging and related activities are prohibited for all drivers. NEVADA LAW

ONE SECOND OF DISTRACTION, A LIFETIME OF TRAUMA

For you, your family, and your passenger’s family,
or even passengers from another car,

Pay Attention. If you drive, drive. Nothing Else.

Texting

Texting, accessing the internet and hand-held cell phone use while driving are illegal in Nevada as of January 1st, 2012.

The fines are :

$50 for the first offense in seven years,
$100 for the second and
$250 for the third and subsequent offenses.
Fines are subject to doubling if the offense occurs in a work zone.

Courts may double or assign additional administrative fees.

The first offense is not treated as a moving violation.
A second or subsequent offense carries 4 demerit points.

You can talk using a hands-free headset and, while making voice calls, touch the phone to “activate, deactivate or initiate a feature or function on the device.”

Be aware that laws may be different in other States while you are traveling:

Cellular Phone

The use of a cellular phone or other handheld wireless communications device to engage voice communications is prohibited unless the device is used with a hands-free accessory.

The use of a cellular phone or other handheld wireless communications device to manually send, read, search the Internet, or engage in non-voice communications with another person, including texting, electronic messaging , and instant messaging, is prohibited.

But this does not mean that hands-free devices are free of danger.

GPS (Global Positioning System):

GPS or satellite navigation system – Video Screen Restriction

Nevada Law: A person shall not drive any motor vehicle equipped with television-type receiving equipment so located that the viewer or screen is visible from the driver’s seat.
Statute: Nev. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 484.639 (2007)
Penalties: No penalty specified.

Be aware that laws may be different in other States while you are traveling:
See the laws in other states.

Illegal:

Physically handling a cell phone or other electronic device while operating a vehicle (including talking, texting, or accessing the internet)
Using an electronic, handheld device at a stoplight, yes sir!
Picking up a GPS device or programming information into the device
Playing music on a device if it requires the device to be in the driver’s hand at any time

Approved:

Using a hands-free device or in-car system that acts on voice command
Voice-operated global positioning or navigation systems that are affixed to the vehicle
Pulling off the road and using a handheld device while reporting a medical
emergency, a safety hazard or criminal activity.
Law enforcement officers, firefighters or emergency medical personnel acting within the scope of their duties

Other exceptions include:

Any person reporting a medical emergency, a safety hazard, or criminal activity.
Drivers using a voice-operated navigation system affixed to the vehicle or those riding in autonomous vehicles.
Drivers using citizen band or other two-way radios that require a license and have a separate, hand-held microphone.
Law enforcement officers, firefighters, or emergency medical personnel acting within the scope of their employment.
Utility workers responding to an outage or emergency and using devices provided by the company.
Amateur radio operators providing communications services during an emergency or disaster.

ABOUT GENERAL DISTRACTION

A study co-sponsored by AAA determined that over 60 percent of dog guardians engage in distracting behavior with their dogs in the car. Dog seat belts help to prevent driver distraction.

Did you know?

• Writing or reading a text message takes your eyes off the road for an average of 5 seconds.
At 55 MPH, that’s like driving the length of a football field – blindfolded.

• If you text while you’re behind the wheel, you’re 20 times more likely to be involved in a crash than a non-distracted driver.

• According to a 2014 special article in the New England Journal of Medicine, the risk of a crash or near-crash among novice drivers increased with the performance of many secondary tasks, including, texting and dialing cell phones.

What can I do?

• Pledge to protect lives by never texting or talking on the phone while driving.
• Be a good passenger and speak up if the driver of your car is distracted.
• Spread the word to your family and friends about the dangers of distracted driving.

What is at stake?

• In 2014, 3,179 people were killed and an estimated 431,000 others were injured in motor vehicle crashes involving a distracted driver.

• Young people are especially at risk: Ten percent of all drivers 15 to 19 years old involved in fatal crashes were reported as distracted at the time of the crashes. This age group has the largest proportion of drivers who were distracted at the time of the crashes.

Kids on Board

Sleeping baby – full confidence in your driving skills.

Correctly installed and properly used child safety seats (car seats) and booster seats — or seat belts, depending on a child’s age — are the first line of defense in protecting kids on the road.
Couple that with defensive driving habits, and you’re helping to ensure that your kids travel safely.

Our little ones can be a source of distraction while driving if we don’t exercise extreme caution while they’re in the car.

Help to ensure that your kids travel safely with these important tips.

But kids also have some responsibilities when it comes to staying safe in a car or on a school bus. Most are in these vehicles every day and therefore should be taught simple rules to help keep them safe.
Be sure to explain to your kids that these safety rules must be followed every time.
DO NOT DISTURB THE DRIVER, no matter who is driving or how short the ride may be.

Rules for the Car

A seat belt must be worn during every car trip. It should be fastened before the car is even in motion, and should be left on until the end of the trip.
Use all seat belts. Most cars have lap and shoulder belts that buckle as a unit, but some have two separate belts, one lap, and one shoulder. Some have a lap belt only. Teach your kids to look for and secure every belt. Also teach them not to tuck the belt under their armpit, even if they think it is more comfortable that way. Doing so makes the belt less effective in a crash.
Never share seat belts. It might seem like fun, but two kids should never buckle up as a pair.
Sit in the back seat. Kids under 13 years old should always ride in the back seat. This protects them from possible injury when a passenger-side airbag deploys. Explain that airbags could seriously hurt a small child because they are designed to protect a person with a much bigger body.
Play it cool. Kids should understand the importance of staying calm and low-key in the back seat. If they are jumping around or yelling, it can distract the driver and put all the passengers at risk.
Follow the rules in every car. Kids need to follow the rules if they are in a friend’s or relative’s car, even if other passengers don’t follow the rules. If asked to sit in the front seat of someone else’s car, your child should politely decline the offer and tell the driver that he or she would prefer to sit in the back seat.

Dogs on board

A study co-sponsored by AAA determined that over 60 percent of dog guardians engage in distracting behavior with their dogs in the car. Dog seat belts help to prevent driver distraction

The Center for Pet Safety provides results from a 2013 test of dog seat belts and harnesses, and they recommend the Sleepy pod Clickit Utility Harness for its overall function and safety features.
Besides laws concerning cruelty to an animal, you should make sure your dog will behave in the back seat while you are driving. Dogs that are constantly barking or jumping on your back or the front seat, or even on your lap may be very distracting and dangerous. Keeping your dog on a leash may strangulate him in case of a crash. You may consider buying a dog seat belt or a car harness; that may also save his life in a crash.

Eating while driving is also dangerous:

While eating rich or fatty foods before a long trip can make you sleepy, the action of eating /drinking behind the wheel is very dangerous.

So far, no law explicitly bans the act of “eating” while behind the wheel. However, because of the way distracted driving laws are worded, local law enforcement could potentially determine that shoveling a muffin in your mouth while maneuvering through traffic is enough to warrant a ticket.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) found eating and driving is more dangerous than using a hand-held cell phone while driving.-

Chocolate – Whatever you touch – steering wheels, stick shift, clothing or hair – will show traces of chocolate. The instinctive reaction is to clean the offending stain right away, distracting you, the driver, from the road ahead.

Soft drinks – Open containers, especially soft ones, with hot or cold liquids, can be spilled on a T-shirt or lap, causing a lack of concentration for the driver.

Jelly or cream-filled donuts – No matter how careful you may be, jelly or cream will ooze onto the driver’s clothes, bringing his or her attention away from the road ahead.

Fried chicken – Drivers need to wipe the grease off their hands and the steering wheel while driving.

Juicy hamburgers – The same goes for foods that contain messy or greasy extras. A $5 hamburger deluxe could turn into $500 worth of repairs if dripping condiments, special sauces, or greasy meat juices distract the driver.

Chili, chili dog, or sloppy Joe – Steering chili-covered foods to your mouth while steering a car around a corner requires more dexterity than humans possess.

Tacos/burritos – Hard shells will crumble by barely touching them, soft ones are like holding a snake.
How do you eat this thing? You will need two hands, with the front passenger holding the steering wheel. One good road bump and your car seat look like a salad bar.

Hot soups – Eating soup while holding a steering wheel with one hand is not recommended. It is similar to a circus juggling act while driving; a sure recipe for disaster.

Hot coffee – Just imagine, you bought a smoldering hot coffee at the road stop to keep you awake. You want to sip and—SPLASH! The lid pops off, and the entire cup pours over your lap. Now you are awake for sure, but is that safe while driving at 65 mph????,

Smoking While Driving

The danger of smoking is that is not printed on the package. It is not only unhealthy in the long run, but it can be deadly in a blink of an eye.

The National Institutes of Health published a report examining the impact of smoking while driving and its consequences.

The study found that on average, drivers who were smoking were even more distracted than people who used a cell phone.

Cigarette smokers averaged 12.0 seconds of distraction (equivalent to traveling 525 feet without looking at the road), while cell phone users averaged 10.6 seconds of distraction (traveling 492 feet).

SURPRISINGLY, SMOKING CIGARETTES WHILE DRIVING IS NOT FORBIDDEN BY LAW!

But wait! It gets worse when the smoldering cigarette butt falls between your legs, burning the seat and cooking your flesh!

You are instantly overwhelmed with panic! You lose control of the vehicle trying to find the burning butt.

Forget about the steering wheel, forget the traffic, you don’t even have the time to find a safe spot to stop.

Imagine this happening while you are passing an 18-wheeler at 70 mph…

As more than 5,000 people a year never found out, you may not retrieve the burning ashes until it is too late. The danger of smoking is also real while filling up your gas tank or tossing a smoldering butt out of the window while driving.

YES, CIGARETTE KILLS MORE THAN ONE WAY.

Company vehicles are required to be smoke-free at all times if they are used to transporting members of the public, or in the course of paid or voluntary work by more than one person – regardless of whether they are in the vehicle at the same time. Vehicles that are used primarily for private purposes are not required to be smoke-free

Distractions and more Distractions (some are a repeat)

– Looking at passengers while talking to them, especially when arguing. We have been raised this way to be polite, but don’t do it while driving.
– Grooming: combing your hair, putting on make-up, etc.
– Reading: including and especially maps, as they require more focus and concentration away from the road.
– Writing: especially using the steering wheel (or passenger seat) as a desk
– Watching a video while driving. Only chameleons can do this, remember?
– Changing the radio station, CD, or MP3 player, unless the commands are on the steering wheel or voice-activated.
– A bee or wasp inside the car.
It is nice to drive with open windows in the spring but, In any case, DO NOT PANIC! The poor thing may be more scared than you are, especially if you swing your hand around to chase it. That will only make matters worse. A bee stings to defend its beehive and then dies, losing its sting. It was probably foraging for food before entering your car and not in attack mode, but it may sting you if it feels attacked. All those bees or wasps want is to get out of there! Leave them alone! Slow down, pull over,
An easy fix:
if you have electric windows, open the back window or hatchback window, and it will fly away in no time, especially if you also open the front windows.

Distraction kills

As much as drinking and Driving.

End of Topic 4 d: ” CELL PHONES AND OTHER DISTRACTIONS”
Next Step: TOPIC 4e: ‘DEFENSIVE DRIVING”

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Part 1- Drivers Ed

4d -Cell Phones & Other Distractions

4d -CELL PHONES AND OTHER DISTRACTIONS

There is no safe way to use a cell phone, including hands-free, while driving.

Three types of distractions:

There are many cases when you can lose your concentration.

Until the technology is proven to be 100 percent safe, what would you trust the most for driving: a human brain or a Self-driving car’s computer?

Calls kill, even with hands-free devices.

Imagine you were a front passenger looking at a drivermultitasking while driving. (watching the scenery, looking behind, looking at you…)Would you feel comfortable? Would you feel safe?

DISTRACTION: a must-see for students and parents

What is distracted driving?

What is illegal by law?

One of the most dangerous distractions?

Talking to passengers or in a hand-held device:

Multitasking

Nevada Law:

ONE SECOND OF DISTRACTION, A LIFETIME OF TRAUMA

For you, your family, and your passenger’s family,or even passengers from another car,

Texting

Cellular Phone

GPS (Global Positioning System):

Illegal:

Approved:

Other exceptions include:

ABOUT GENERAL DISTRACTION

Did you know?

What can I do?

What is at stake?

Kids on Board

Rules for the Car

Rules for the Car

Dogs on board

Eating while driving is also dangerous:

While eating rich or fatty foods before a long trip can make you sleepy, the action of eating /drinking behind the wheel is very dangerous.

Smoking While Driving

But wait! It gets worse when the smoldering cigarette butt falls between your legs, burning the seat and cooking your flesh!

You are instantly overwhelmed with panic! You lose control of the vehicle trying to find the burning butt.

Distractions and more Distractions (some are a repeat)

Distraction kills

As much as drinking and Driving.

Imagine you were a front passenger looking at a driver
multitasking while driving.
(watching the scenery, looking behind, looking at you…)
Would you feel comfortable? Would you feel safe?

For you, your family, and your passenger’s family,
or even passengers from another car,