Don’t let Distracted Driving put a dark cloud over your summer holidays

Summer break has officially begun for most families, which means there will be an increase in vehicles hitting the roads over the summer months for family vacations, whether heading to cottages or away on out of town road trips. If you and your family will be hitting the open road, there is a good chance you will be faced with driving distracted or witness it at one point or another. What counts as distracted driving? Simply put, anything that takes your focus away from the road is considered distracted driving. This can include choosing a playlist, eating, typing a destination into a GPS, along with the more commonly known talking or texting using a cellular device, and much more. What some still don’t realize is that it doesn’t matter if you are on the highway or stopped at a red light – distracted driving could cost you whether as the result of hefty fines, demerit points, license suspensions or cancelations, or an accident causing damages, injuries or death. How can you prevent driving while distracted? The simplest way is to eliminate any possible distractions before you begin your journey. This could mean turning your phone to silent or a do not disturb setting and putting it in a bag or purse in the back seat or trunk of your car if that is your biggest temptation, or bringing along activities or a movie for kids to watch on road trips to keep them entertained and allowing you to keep your focus on the road. To avoid any distraction by GPS devices or maps, set your destination prior to leaving your starting location, take a quick minute to check the map when stopped in a safe location such as a roadside gas station, or have a passenger navigate for you to keep your eyes on the road. Summer vacations are meant to be enjoyed, so we hope you’ll make an honest effort to avoid driving while distracted this summer to keep yourself and your family and friends safe while making the most of your time together! Don’t let something as simple to avoid as distracted driving put a dark cloud over your summer holidays! Have a great summer and drive safely everyone!