Don’t Drive Drunk… or Distracted

Take one glimpse at teen driving statistics and it’s clear: the real culprit facing today’s teens behind the wheel is distracted driving.

Be it with a cell phone, iPod or BlackBerry, in the last 10 years teens have become more connected – yet also more distracted – than ever before. Every day, attempts of tech-savvy teens trying to talk, text or even e-mail while driving prove to be deadly.

To keep everyone safe on the roads, below are a few quick tips for teens on how to avoid distraction behind the wheel from thinkbeforeyoudrive.org.

“Would you do it in the shower?” Ask yourself this question every time you start an activity behind the wheel. Would you eat, text, talk on the phone or change a CD in the shower? Then you probably shouldn’t be doing it behind the wheel either, right?!

Know Point B. You should have a good idea of how to get to your destination before revving up the engine. There’s nothing more distracting than trying to follow directions when you’re driving down the freeway. Make sure to check weather and road conditions as well.

Manage your time so that you do not have to multi-task or drive aggressively on the road.

Save your concentration for the road, not a conversation. The road is not the place to have a serious conversation with your passengers. Check your emotions at the door as well.