Chapter 8
Managing
Distractions
ARE YOU DISTRACTED???
 Reaching
for items on dash
 Tuning the radio
 Eating or drinking
 Talking on cell
 Texting
Driver Inattention
 Driver’s
awareness and focus drift to
anything else other than the driving task
 Can be unintentional
DISTRACTED DRIVING
 Person,
event, activity, or object
 Not necessary for the
driving task
What are some examples??
DISTRACTION CLASSIFICATIONS
 Cognitive-
Mind lost in thought or in a
daydream (talking on cell is also
included)
 Visual- Anything that causes you to take
your eyes off the road
 Auditory- Caused by sounds
 Biomechanical- not related to the driving
task at hand. Includes pushing a button,
turning a dial, picking up objects
DISTRACTIONS INSIDE THE
VEHICLE
 Cellphones
 Vehicle
equipment and controls
 Animals and insects
 Food and drink
 Passengers
 Loose objects (projectiles)
DISTRACTIONS OUTSIDE THE
VEHICLE
 Animals,
Birds, reptiles, and other
creatures
 Debris
 Signs/Billboards
 Parked/Disabled vehicles/Accidents
SCENES AND EVENTS
Crash and fire scenes can often cause
 Gawking
 Rubbernecking
THESE TEND TO CAUSE…