Every day in the United States, 9 people are killed and more than 1,000 are injured due to distracted driving. For your own well being, and the well being of others, it is imperative to have a thorough distracted driving plan for your family. 

There are three main categories for distracted driving: visual (taking your eyes off the road), manual (taking your hands off the wheel), and cognitive (taking your mind off driving). A successful distracted driving plan should address all three. There are many different triggers and causes of distracted driving, and these often depend on your experience, age, and life stage. You can mitigate risk by following the CAR Model: Conversation, Action, Reaction. First, have a conversation about potential issues and risks so that they are top of mind, next decide on actions to mitigate these risks, and finally react in the moment of distracted driving. 

If you have a teenage driver, it is imperative to talk to them about the risks that pertain to them. To begin, make sure the teenager is aware of the following risk factors through an intentional conversation:

• Talking and texting on a cell phone
• Changing radio stations and CDs
• Taking dashboard videos
• Crowding passengers into the car
• Driving faster than the speed limit
• Driving while drowsy or impaired

Take action against these risks by setting rules, for example: no more than two passengers in the car, only talking on the phone if one can do so through bluetooth, no phone usage while driving, and setting up music (cds and radio, etc.) before beginning the journey. After the conversation and agree actions, the teenager will be able to more swiftly react if, for example, their cell phone rings. They will remember the conversation about the dangers of cell phone usage and the agreed action to not pick up the phone. 

Another situation that calls for the CAR method may be for you, your partner, or your parents who work in a demanding job. Work-related distracted driving may not be as obvious a distraction as, for example, too many passengers in a vehicle, but is a significant threat to safety. We can use the CAR Method to solve for this issue. First, discuss and acknowledge that work pressure can cause distracted driving. Next, understand when this is most likely to happen and why.  Lastly, decide how you are going to act. For example, set appropriate expectations with your boss that when you commute you are unreachable and block off this time in your schedule. If you have an unusually long commute, put the hours that you are unavailable in your email footer. In this situation, it is key to set appropriate expectations on your availability. By using the CAR Method, next time your boss calls on your drive home, you can react by not answering the phone, and rest assured knowing you and your boss have discussed these boundaries.

Arguably, the most important step in combating distracted driving is accountability. Use the CAR Method to keep yourself and your family accountable- it can be a matter of life and death. Remember, no one is immune to distracted driving.

-Marlee Rich