DRIVEN

Each year, over 3,000 people pass away due to distracted driving. With so many possible distractions diverting our attention, what can we do to stay safe and focused while on the road?

What is distracted driving?

Distracted driving falls into three categories:

• Visual: Taking your eyes off the road to look at a billboard, a pedestrian, or perhaps something or someone nearby.
• Manual: Taking your hands off the steering wheel to eat lunch, change radio stations, set your GPS, etc.
• Cognitive: Losing focus because you have something on your mind or because your focus is split between two tasks, such as using a cell phone and driving simultaneously.

Sometimes distractions overlap. For example, eating a meal while driving. It involves visual distractions (looking for food in a bag), manual distractions (unwrapping and holding food), and cognitive distractions (wondering if there is any ketchup).

Reading or sending a text message is another example. It involves visual distractions (looking at your phone), manual distractions (scrolling), and cognitive distractions (thinking about the text.)

Because distractions due to cell phones have become so common, many states now ban using them and texting while driving. Infractions can come with steep fines that increase with each citation.

Check your state laws about vehicle cell phone usage at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

Is Hands-Free Enough?

We may think using our devices without holding them is safer, but the evidence says otherwise.

Dr. Paul Atchley, Psychology Professor at the University of Florida, said this in a MarketWatch article about distracted driving:

“One of the greatest risks is what we call inattention blindness, where your mind is on the phone and what’s happening on the phone. Even if your eyes are still on the road, your brain’s not processing what it’s seeing.”

While it seems that we are capable of “multi-tasking” when eating or using our phones, the reality is that our brain can only pay attention to one task at a time.

The National Safety Council reports that when faced with tasks that require our attention, our focus switches back and forth from driving to whatever else we are doing. This is why a driver when distracted by a text or a conversation can miss a red light or respond too late to an emergency.

Professor Atchley’s interview supports this study:

“I’ve seen lots of videos, because I’ve been doing this work for a really long time, of people driving down the road, looking straight ahead, but talking on the phone and completely missing stop signs, sometimes running into cars, trucks or other people. So if your mind is not on the road, your mind fails to process the risks of the road. And since it is the riskiest thing that we do, it can lead to really bad consequences.”

UZURV’s Cell Phone Policy

UZURV’s mission is to provide reliable, safe transportation for people with mobility issues.

For the safety of our riders and drivers, UZURV prohibits the use of personal communications devices – cell phones, tablets, laptops, and watches – while the vehicle is in motion. This means no talking, no texting, and no checking communications.

The only approved use of a device while driving is a phone’s GPS to pick up and drop off a rider. Furthermore, all devices must be secured in a hands-free apparatus and earphones are prohibited.

Should UZURV Operations call you while driving, pull over to a safe parking area to answer your phone.

More Tips to Prevent Distracted Driving

• Do not eat or drink while driving.
• Scan for pedestrians, cyclists, disabled vehicles, and other safety risks while driving.
• Don’t “rubberneck” or focus on anything other than the driving at hand.
• Secure loose objects to prevent them from falling to the floor and rolling around.
• Use mirrors for viewing obstacles only. Do not use mirrors to check your face, hair, etc. while driving.

Remember, if you experience something urgent or distracting, pull over and take care of it rather than trying to manage it while driving. A few extra minutes could save your life and the life of another.

Resources for further reading:

• National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
• Distracted Driving Statistics from Market Watch Guides
• “Understanding the Distracted Brain” from the National Safety Council

Staying safe is everyone’s utmost concern, especially if you are in an accident. It’s vital we all work together to ensure you, riders, and other drivers are safe on the road.

In the event of an accident:

• Prioritize safety and avoid taking actions that could jeopardize anyone’s well-being.
• Under no circumstances should you attempt to follow individuals who flee the scene of an accident.
• Stay calm, assess the scene to see if there is an emergency, and check to ensure you and your rider are not in danger.
• Contact 911 first. Then call UZURV Operations through the app or at 804-215-8155 once you and your riders are safe.
• Gather information – insurance, license plate numbers, witnesses, etc. – when it can be done safely.
• Rely on the expertise of Police and EMS to ensure the appropriate actions are taken.

If you have an accident, call 911 first. Then call Operations through the app
or dial 804-215-8155.

🚙 Stay focused. Stay Safe! 🚙