A PRACTICAL MESSAGE ABOUT DISTRACTED DRIVING

Distracted driving is real and it's a critical factor fueling a surge in car insurance claims and, inevitably, higher rates for all of us. This undeniable link got me thinking: what message can truly resonate with drivers and make a difference?

The conventional wisdom is to demand a complete elimination of distractions – no phones, no eating, no activities that pull your eyes from the road. While this is the ultimate goal, absolute mandates are often not as effective. Instead, I believe the most powerful tool we have is AWARENESS.

Awareness about the startling realities of distracted driving:

• The "Football Field" Effect: Sending a quick text might seem harmless, but taking your eyes off the road for just five seconds while traveling at 55 mph is equivalent to driving the entire length of a football field blindfolded (1). Imagine the potential consequences in those fleeting moments.

• Daily Tragedy: In the United States, an average of nine lives are tragically lost every single day in crashes reported to involve a distracted driver (1). 

• The Dangers of Drowsiness: Many of us overlook fatigue as a form of distraction. However, research shows that sleeping for only 3-4 hours has a similar impairing effect on your driving ability as having a couple of alcoholic drinks (1). Drowsy driving is distracted driving.

  
  

My hope isn't to lecture, but to create awareness. The next time you find your attention wandering behind the wheel, all I ask is for you to just consider the above facts and what is at stake. Even a momentary lapse in focus can have profound and irreversible consequences.

(1) https://cloud.web.kemper.com/distracting-driving?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=the_invision_enewsletter_what_my_little_girl_has_taught_me&utm_term=2025-06-06