June 29, 2023

Safety tips to avoid distracted driving this summer

With school holidays and travel plans underway, it’s no surprise that during the summer months people tend to drive 20% more miles and that distracted driving also increases by 8%. According to the Texas Department of Transportation, distracted driving resulted in 487 fatalities and 2,824 injuries in 2022. With these grim statistics in mind, it’s important to remember that distracted driving crashes are preventable. Whether driving for leisure or work, it’s crucial to take extra precautions with more drivers on the road, which is why we’re sharing driving tips to help you reach your next destination safely.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), sending or reading a text at 55 mph is like driving the length of a football field with your eyes closed. While cell phones are a major cause of accidents, anything that takes the driver’s attention away from driving can also be a distraction. There are three main types of distractions:

• Visual: anything that takes your eyes off the road
• Manual: anything that takes your hands off the wheel
• Cognitive: anything that takes your mind off the primary task of driving

Here are some tips to help you drive safely and kick distractions to the curb:

Preparing for a safe drive

• Keep up with any regular vehicle maintenance and ensure items like brakes, lights and wipers are in good condition.
• Prevent tire blowouts caused by higher temperatures by checking your tire pressure weekly.
• Before getting in your vehicle, finish any grooming, eating or drinking.
• Plan your route ahead of time so you can avoid work zones, traffic delays and set your GPS if needed.
• Set up an autoreply on your mobile device to inform coworkers, friends and family that you are currently driving and will return calls and texts once you are safely stopped.
• Make sure to adjust your seat, mirrors and climate controls before getting on the road.
• Select your music, podcast or audio book beforehand.

Keeping safety top of mind while driving

• Avoid driving while fatigued by getting enough rest, stopping for breaks and driving during the day.
• Manage glare and heat by using sunglasses with 99-100% UVA/UVB protection, keeping your windshield clean and utilizing a sunshade when your car is parked.
• Eliminate the urge to use your cell phone by placing it out of sight or turning it off.
• Drive defensively by scanning the road for any potential hazards so you can slow down or change lanes accordingly.
• Be sure to stay alert and focused, especially when using cruise control
• If you notice an aggressive driver, switch lanes and let them pass.
• When driving in heavy traffic or poor weather conditions, lower your speed.
• If a situation cannot wait, pull over once it’s safe to do so.
• All passengers in the vehicle should wear a seatbelt and try to reduce or eliminate distractions for the driver.

At Texas Mutual, we’re deeply committed to keeping Texans safe on the roads, so we took a stand against distracted driving and adopted a companywide phone-free driving policy to keep employees safe, help build good driving habits and do our part to keep others safe on the road. Since then, safe driving has become part of our company’s safety culture. We hope you’ll join us in committing to distraction free driving at work and in your personal life.

To assist policyholders in strengthening their driving safety program, we’ve put together a four-point strategy with suggested resources.