Distracted Driving: Understand the Risks and Drive with Intention
Distracted driving is a serious and preventable problem. Unfortunately, it is a recipe for disaster that puts everyone on the road at risk. This blog explores the many forms distraction can take, from texting and phone use to eating, daydreaming, or interacting with passengers. Distracted driving includes anything that takes your eyes off the road, your hands off the wheel, or your mind off the task of driving. Learn what the latest research shows, why even minor distractions can have fatal consequences, and how we can all make intentional choices to stay focused behind the wheel.
Motolani Lawson
4/26/20251 min read
What Is Distracted Driving?
Distracted driving refers to any activity that diverts your attention from the road. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), these distractions can be:
Visual: Taking your eyes off the road
Manual: Taking your hands off the wheel
Cognitive: Taking your mind off the task of driving
Texting while driving is particularly dangerous because it involves all three types of distraction.
According to the CDC, distracted driving caused over 3,100 deaths and approximately 424,000 injuries in the United States in 2019. Alarmingly, about 1 in 5 of those killed were not in vehicles — they were pedestrians, cyclists, or other vulnerable road users.
The Mobile Phone Factor
Mobile phones are among the leading causes of driver distraction. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that using a mobile phone while driving makes you approximately four times more likely to be involved in a crash. This risk holds true whether the device is hand-held or hands-free, highlighting that it’s the mental distraction — not just the physical act — that matters most.
Text messaging is even more dangerous. Sending or reading a text can take your eyes off the road for about five seconds — long enough to drive the length of a football field at highway speeds.
Local Impact: The Manitoba Context
In Manitoba, distracted driving is linked to an average of 28 fatalities annually. It’s not just dangerous, it’s costly, too. Being caught using a hand-held device while driving results in:
fine
license suspension (7 days for repeat offenses)
A 5-level drop on the Driver Safety Rating scale.