The best way to not become distracted while driving is to avoid distractions. Although the purpose of the It Can Wait movement was to “reduce the number of automobile crashes caused by texting while driving and spur advocacy to show that texting and driving is as dangerous as drinking and driving”, It can Wait also serves to sum up how to avoid distractions. Driving is a full-time job; if it is not an emergency, it can wait until the driver arrives to his destination. The main types of distractions are visual, taking your eyes from the road, manual, taking your hands from the wheel, and cognitive, taking your mind from the driving. There are many ways that drivers can intentionally stay focused (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, September 16, 2019). We often associate distractions with texting while driving, or driving under the influence but, consider the fact that the driver can be distracted simply by allowing his mind to wander, or, he is exhausted from a long day’s work. If the driver puts away all devices from reach, and does not drive when emotionally disturbed, he is then able to better focus on the road. Leave your problems and issues outside of the car. In 2010, 3,092 people died from distracted driving and 416,000 of driving injuries was a direct result of distraction in the United States; in 2015, 3,477 deaths resulted from distracted driving and 391,000 injuries resulted from distracted driving in the United States (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, September 16, 2019). Nine people are killed and 1,000 are injured daily because of a distracted driver in the United States (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, September 16, 2019). Although there has been a decrease in the amount of injuries taking place, the amount of deaths has only increased, as in 2018, 4,637 died as a result of distracted driving (The Zebra, Distracted Driving Statistics, April 9, 2019). From 2010 to 2018, there has been an increase of 1,545 preventable deaths related to distracted driving. Because distractions are things that we can prevent, it is the driver’s duty to prevent them. Doing what he can to ensure that he is not distracted will save a life.

FleishmanHillard,It Can Wait-The Power of a Movementhttps://fleishmanhillard.com/work/att-can-wait-power-movement/

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, September 16, 2019, https://www.cdc.gov/motorvehiclesafety/distracted_driving/index.html

The Zebra, Distracted Driving Statistics, April 9, 2019, https://www.thezebra.com/distracted-driving-statistics/