What is distracted driving? How does one avoid it?

Ford Philippines regularly holds its Driving Skills for Life program.

THE Anti-Distracted Driving Act went into effect more than two years ago, with offenders facing fines of up to P20,000. But, according to Ford Philippines, distracted driving remains a serious problem in the country.

The carmaker said mobile devices are far from the only cause of distracted driving even if it is still common to see drivers texting, calling or surfing on their phones while in traffic. Every day, nearly all drivers engage in some type of distracted driving without even realizing it. A big part of the problem is a lack of understanding of what distracted driving is and how it can be avoided.

“The real tragedy is that nearly every accident caused by distracted driving can be avoided and prevented,” said Ford Philippines assistant vice president for communications EJ Francisco. “Through our Driving Skills for Life [DSFL] program, we create awareness among participants on the dangers of distracted driving through our classroom and hands-on training sessions.”

Ford said distracted driving falls into one of these three categories:

• Mental distraction. This can be any activity that takes drivers’ mind off the road; from talking with passengers to getting lost in their thoughts while listening to their favorite song on the radio.
• Visual distraction. This occurs when drivers are looking at anything other than the road in front them. This could include looking at their gadgets, checking on their kids or staring at something that’s happening outside of the vehicle as they drive by.
• Manual distraction. This happens when drivers take one or both hands off the wheel for any reason. Examples include putting on makeup, adjusting the GPS or reaching for some object inside the vehicle.

Celebrity Bianca Gonzales participates in Ford’s driving program.

When it comes to distracted driving, texting usually gets the most attention because it combines all three types of distractions, making it particularly dangerous. But even if texting while driving can more than double the chance of getting into an accident, it’s not even the most common or dangerous form of distracted driving.

Some of the most common and surprising distractions when driving are:

Daydreaming, which is actually the most common form of distraction, and also one of the most dangerous. A US study found that of all the crashes attributed to distracted driving, 62% were caused by daydreaming, or five times more than those caused by talking or texting on a mobile phone.

Eating or drinking while driving increases the chances of getting into an accident by up to 80%. With the added chance of spilling a hot drink on drivers, the activity is simply not worth the risk.

Driving while in an emotionally agitated state can increase the chances of getting into an accident by nearly 10 times. In places like Metro Manila, where gridlock combines with the hot and humid weather, it’s easy to see tempers flare.

Preventing distracted driving through technology, education

Even if distracted driving is more prevalent than people realize, this does not mean it cannot be solved. Distracted driving can be countered with awareness and education.  And automakers, like Ford Motor Co., are leading the way in solving this problem.

Besides creating innovative safety technologies like the voice-activated Sync 3 infotainment system (which allows drivers to make calls and send texts hands-free), Ford is going to the root of the problem by educating drivers on the harm that distracted driving can do with the DSFL training program.

“Our courses on distracted driving in the DSFL have taught drivers to be more aware of the possible distractions they face while driving and equipped them with the skills to avoid such distractions, creating safer roads and drivers in the Philippines,” Francisco said.