There has been a litany of PSAs \u2013 ranging from heartwarmingly silly<\/a> to shockingly violent<\/a> \u2013 on the dangers of texting while driving (and other behaviors), but it bears repeating that in 2022, 3,308 people in the U.S. were killed and an estimated 289,310 were injured in crashes that involved a distracted driver \u2014 about 8% of all traffic deaths, or roughly 9 people every day \u2014 according to the CDC<\/a> and NHTSA<\/a>. The risk of motor vehicle crashes is higher among teen drivers<\/a>, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The effects are even worse at night. Per mile traveled, the rate of fatal crashes at night is about three times higher than during the day, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety<\/a>. Even though there may be fewer cars on the road, nighttime driving still presents a big risk to yourself, other drivers, and pedestrians because of reduced visibility; in fact, most pedestrian fatalities occur in dark conditions<\/a>, and alcohol involvement in fatal crashes is far higher at night than during the day (approximately 44% vs. 19%<\/a>). Combine that with other risk factors, like animals crossing the road, vehicle dome lights obscuring your vision, and the greater possibility of drivers under the influence, and you\u2019ll see why it\u2019s especially important to keep your eyes on the road. <\/p>\n\n\n\n We spoke to four experts about what distracted driving is and how it\u2019s changed over time, what the personal and legal consequences are, and how you can become a safer driver at night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC<\/a>) says there are three types of distraction: visual (taking your eyes off the road), manual (taking your hands off the wheel), and cognitive (taking your mind off driving).<\/p>\n\n\n\n By this definition, distracted driving can encompass a lot of behaviors, and indeed, it has been a problem since the automobile was first invented. For example, in the early 1900s, drivers were concerned that the invention of the windshield wiper could be a potential distraction on the road.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But the actions that comprise distracted driving have changed over the years and become a lot more sophisticated. Cellphones, unsurprisingly, are one of the worst contributors. Texting is particularly egregious in cars, as it\u2019s a visual, manual, and<\/em> cognitive distraction. According to the NHTSA<\/a>, driving 55 mph and taking your eyes off the road for 5 seconds (the amount of time it takes to read or send a text) is the equivalent of driving the length of a football field with your eyes closed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But another culprit you may not have thought of is your own car, says Alex Epstein, former director of transportation safety at the National Safety Council.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cVehicles themselves now have infotainment systems and other technologies that can pull one\u2019s attention away from the task of driving,\u201d Epstein says. \u201cApps that encourage drivers to use a device while driving for GPS routing, ordering food, finding parking or other tasks are unsafe [as well].\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n These risk factors compound when the sun has set. \u201cWhen driving in the dark, one\u2019s depth perception, color recognition and peripheral vision can be compromised,\u201d Epstein explains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The context is also different at night. For example, you may be more fatigued driving at night after work \u2014 and therefore less responsive to dangers on the road. Driving at dusk also means you\u2019re more likely to be on the road with people who may be intoxicated or animals crossing the road. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Distracted driving can include, but isn\u2019t limited to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The laws governing distracted driving will vary by state. Nearly every U.S. jurisdiction prohibits texting while driving, and a growing majority now require hands\u2011free (no hand\u2011held) phone use for all drivers; penalties commonly include fines, points on your license, license suspension, or even jail time. See current summaries from the Governors Highway Safety Association<\/a> and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNew York bans handheld cellphone use and texting for all drivers with primary enforcement, whereas Montana has no laws restricting the use of cellphones while driving,\u201d Epstein explains. Here is a breakdown of distracted driving laws by state<\/a> from the Governors Highway Safety Association.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s also important to consider that a distracted driving offense can have ripple effects on your life. For example, if you\u2019re ticketed for distracted driving in a company vehicle or on company business (such as driving for ride-hailing companies like Uber and Lyft), you could lose your job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMany employers do not allow their employees to use their phones while driving on company business because employers could be held legally accountable for their employee\u2019s negligent acts during employment,\u201d says Rick Chen, director of communications at Metromile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can also run the risk of paying higher car insurance premiums. In our comprehensive study of millennial car insurance rates<\/a>, we found that distracted driving offenses were associated with higher premiums, and some insurers now use telematics to price based on observed driving behaviors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhen a driver texts, they are liable, and not upholding their legal \u2018duty of care\u2019 to take action to avoid harming others,\u201d explains Matt Desmond, principal agent of Desmond-Integra Insurance<\/a> in Austin, Texas. \u201cSo, if the damage one causes exceeds their property damage or liability limits carried and the accident is caused by texting and driving, lawyers can get involved and the individual could be sued for compensatory damages sustained by the third party.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lastly, a crash caused by distracted driving could cause severe harm to others around you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDistracted driving can have life-altering effects within seconds of taking your eyes off the road for you, your passengers, and people in other vehicles,\u201d says John Espenschied, owner of the Chesterfield, Missouri-based Insurance Brokers Group.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Before you start driving, take inventory of your immediate surroundings. Are your side mirrors, rearview mirrors, and seat correctly adjusted? Do you have your seatbelt on? Is the temperature ideal? Are the interior dome lights of the car turned off? Make sure to settle all these things before you pull out of the garage or parking lot. Set your GPS and music ahead of time, and don\u2019t fiddle with them behind the wheel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Then, turn off your phone or put it on silent, then keep it out of sight. \u201cStore it in the glove compartment, a purse or even the trunk if the temptation is too great,\u201d Epstein says. If you need to answer a phone call or send a text, then designate a passenger to handle it or pull over and park in a safe place before doing so.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can\u2019t make the night turn into day, but you can make your car a safer space. Wipe off your windshield to remove streaks, keep interior lights turned off so your eyesight can adjust to the darkness, and make sure your headlights and taillights are working correctly. On that last note, you may want to get your headlights checked by a repair facility or car dealer to ensure they\u2019re angled correctly. Headlights pointed too downward can make you lose out on the light you need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Exercise caution when driving at night, as people are harder to see in the dark. This means driving slower and being more defensive<\/a> than you usually might, because you never know if a deer may run out in front of your car or if a drunk driver may swerve into your lane. Using high-beam headlights helps if you\u2019re in a rural area or a place with no oncoming cars, but dim them if you see a vehicle coming, as that could blind them and cause them to get into a crash as well. Keep in mind that most pedestrian fatalities happen in dark conditions<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you thought you were in the clear for having a phone call over speaker or telling Siri to accomplish a task, think again. \u201cRemember that using hands-free and in-car technology is still distracted driving,\u201d Chen says. \u201cYou can miss audio and visual cues when you are on a call or tapping on the center console.\u201d For more on how distraction works, see NHTSA\u2019s overview<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This advice may seem counterintuitive to what we\u2019ve advised so far (keeping your phone in the glove compartment of your car), but it doesn\u2019t hurt to pre-empt yourself over future distracted driving behaviors. There are a number of apps on the market that will limit notifications on your phone or disable your phone entirely if it detects that you\u2019re driving. Here are some popular options we found:<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you find that you\u2019re drifting off while driving, pull over to a safe area. It is not safe to drive while drowsy, and trying to get home faster is not an adequate solution when you can\u2019t keep your eyes open. Naturalistic driving research suggests drowsiness is a factor in about 1 in 10 crashes, with risk peaking late at night and in the early morning; see IIHS<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can also use technology to curb your distractions. Desmond suggests using telematics programs, or usage-based insurance plans<\/a>, as \u201cbuilt-in accountability.\u201d These programs involve installing a device on your car or an app on your phone that will report how you use your car back to the insurance company. From there, you receive real-time evaluations of how you drive \u2013 how fast you accelerate and brake, driving speed, miles driven \u2013 and personalized tips to help you improve. Participation in U.S. usage-based insurance programs reached roughly 1 in 5 customers in recent years, and industry studies show feedback-driven telematics can reduce risky behaviors and claim frequency (J.D. Power<\/a>; LexisNexis<\/a>). If you\u2019re deemed a good driver, you can receive a discount on your car insurance<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSome don\u2019t like the idea of participating in these programs offered by carriers, due to privacy concerns, but many clients have said it keeps them from their normal habits. They are more aware of bad habits on a daily basis and want to get the best rates possible,\u201d Desmond says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Keep in mind the ultimate goal, which is to ensure safety for yourself and those around you. Thousands of people die every year from preventable crashes; in 2022 alone, 3,308 people were killed in crashes that involved a distracted driver (CDC<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n We compiled a printable list of driving tips for yourself or another driver. Stick it on the fridge or in the glove compartment of your teen driver\u2019s car. Safety first! <\/p>\n\n\n\n As Espenschied said succinctly: \u201carrive alive and leave the distractions to the passengers.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Be honest: Have you ever read or answered a text while driving? If so, you\u2019re not alone. The AAA Foundation\u2019s 2023 Traffic Safety Culture Index reports that roughly 4 in 10 drivers read a text or email while driving in the past 30 days and about 3 in 10 typed or sent one; a 2016 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":345,"featured_media":249155,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1266],"tags":[],"post_author":[],"yoast_head":"\nIn This Article<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What is Distracted Driving, and Why Is It Worse at Night?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The Consequences of Distracted Driving<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Safety Tips for Distraction-Less Driving at Night<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Check yourself before you wreck your car<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Keep your vehicle clean and up to date<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Watch out for pedestrians and other drivers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Avoid hands-free devices<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Use apps to curb phone usage on the road<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Pull off the road if you\u2019re sleepy<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Switch to a usage-based insurance plan<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Remember that driving is serious business<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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