How to avoid distractions on the road during the holiday season

HARRISONBURG, Va. (WHSV) – While driving, AAA reminds those traveling on the road to avoid distractions such as their cell phones.

Morgan Dean, a spokesman for AAA Mid-Atlantic, said it’s not good to think “it’ll only take a second” when you take your eyes off the road.

Dean said Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles data shows there were more than 21,000 crashes in 2023 involving distracted driving. If you’re driving and something falls on the floorboard, Dean said to stop and park before looking for it.

“What happens when someone starts looking down — they don’t even realize they’re starting to do it — but they turn the steering wheel just a little bit,” Dean said. “We subconsciously turn the wheel as we move and look in different directions, and that little turn of the wheel can really cause some problems.”

Dean said that when you look at your phone while stopped, it takes time to get into the mindset of driving again.

“We’ve actually seen some studies where they’ve done some of these cognitive studies and even looked at them: Someone who uses their phone while they’re stopped, then puts it away and drives away has a 27-second hangover.” . where their brain is still in phone mode or other non-driving mode,” Dean said.

If you are on the road and a car in front of you turns or appears suspicious, you should keep your distance from that car.

Copyright WHSV 2024. All rights reserved.