During the month of April, Florida Highway Patrol is running the “Distracted Driving Campaign”, to draw drivers’ attention to the risks of not being focused on the road. Distracted driving is extremely risky behavior that not only puts drivers and passengers in danger but also pedestrians and bicyclists sharing the road. Focused attention on driving helps to prevent crashes overall.

There are different types of distractions, such as visual – not looking at the road, manual – not keeping your hands on the steering wheel, and cognitive – being absent minded. From this point of view, texting is a major issue, as it usually includes all three types of distraction, making it one of the most dangerous of distracted driving behaviors. Other common distractions include: talking on a cell phone, tending to kids or passengers in the back seat, watching an event outside of the vehicle, interacting with passengers, eating, unsecured pets, grooming, adjusting the radio or climate controls and daydreaming.