Top 3 technological distractions on the road

Driving is something that many people do every day, and its mundanity might lead you to forget that it can also be a dangerous act. Indeed, there are many accidents every day that range in severity from minor fender benders to major collisions with fatalities. One of the best ways to avoid becoming a victim of such an accident is to remove the distractions that put you at risk when you are on the road.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, distracted driving is responsible for close to 3,500 deaths in a given year, and it is no secret that technology is one of the most common culprits. Resist the following three common technological distractions if you want to stay safe.

Using cellphones

Cellphones can lure you with a myriad of distractions. You might be tempted to make a call, look at a text message or send a text to somebody else. The emergence of smartphones has greatly expanded the causes of distraction, though. Social media and a range of other applications beckon when your concentration should be on the road. Turn your phone off to avoid a car accident.

Changing radio station

You may not think that reaching for the dial of the radio is a serious offense. Visual and mental distractions are not the only ones you should worry about, though. When you take a hand off the wheel, you are physically distracted in a way that may compromise your ability to react to changing road conditions in a timely manner.

Navigating with GPS

If you use a standalone GPS system, you will need to input directions and use it to navigate. If you are attempting to multitask and do this simultaneously while driving, you are putting yourself and everybody else on the road at risk. When you need to reconfigure your GPS or put in a new destination, pull off the road or do it before you begin driving.