There was a time when the worst driving distraction found in vehicles was an AM radio. Remember those? You probably won’t find many people listening to them these days, but that doesn’t mean they haven’t been replaced by other driving distractions of all shapes and sizes in Philadelphia, PA.
Audio is just one of the ways that drivers of all types can find their attention being diverted from what is happening before them on the road. Noises, distracting passengers, and electronics of all kinds are a problem in Philly and less populated roadways nationwide.
Based on figures gathered by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, around 34 hundred people died due to distracted driving in 2015 (based on the latest available figures).
Within the blink of an eye, a moving vehicle can cover plenty of distance and find itself and those around it in a lot of danger fairly quickly on the road. A company called SmartDrive Systems, which offers a way to monitor truckers via video cameras in cabs, has found several reasons why taking your attention away from safe driving can be potentially disastrous and even deadly.
Consider that according to SmartDrive’s findings, those distracted by mobile devices stand a better than two-and-a-half-times chance of running a stop sign or red light at an intersection.
Distracted drivers are at least a third more likely to be involved in a near collision.
A lack of attention leads to greater fuel use as well. SmartDrive claims that miles per gallon is more than 6% less for all other drivers. It could have a relationship to speed as well. Distracted drivers are nearly 90% more likely to drive 10 miles per hour or faster over the speed limit.
Inattention also extends to personal safety as well; apparently, driving distractions means drivers are more likely to not wear a seatbelt. They’re also at least 90 percent more likely to drift out of their lanes than other drivers.
It all adds up to unsafe driving and potential trouble within a split second at highway speeds.
It’s why Minnesota based Bay & Bay Transportation supports safe driving and good habits by all drivers on our roads. Our drivers understand what causes driving distractions and avoid them to maintain safe driving conditions for everyone. Bay & Bay prides itself on safety and reliability in the Philadelphia area, and offers competitive compensation and benefits packages to company drivers, independent contractors, and those who prefer to take advantage of our lease purchase program.
Safety is one of the major reasons why Bay & Bay is known as a quality driven tradition. If you’ve got the right stuff, call (888) 801-3026, or visit our web page for more details and information about how you can join our growing team in the Philadelphia area and other parts of Pennsylvania.