Distracted driving is one of the biggest road hazards facing commercial drivers and motorists alike. According to the National Safety Council, approximately 26% of all motor vehicle crashed are linked to distracted driving. Reducing distracted driving, then, has the potential to prevent countless accidents and fatalities in the United States each year. You’ll learn the skills and knowledge needed to obtain your Class A CDL and become a professional truck driver by enrolling in truck driving school, but the commitment to reducing distracted driving is up to you. Here are some tips that can help reduce this dangerous driving behavior.
Use Hands-Free Technology
There are a large number of distracted driving solutions available that can help you prevent talking, texting, emailing, and surfing the web while driving. Hands-free headsets, for example, allow you to send and receive phone calls without taking your hands off the wheel or your eyes off the road. There are also text-to-speech apps that can read text messages to you and allow you to respond by talking.
Get Adequate Rest
Drowsy driving can be just as dangerous as distracted driving, especially when you’re too tired to realize that you’re looking at your phone, playing with the radio, or engaging in any other type of distracted driving behavior. Make sure you get plenty of sleep before hitting the road, and if you feel drowsy while driving pull over and rest or get something to eat and drink before continuing on to your next stop.
Remember Your Friends and Family
Another way to help yourself overcome distracted driving behaviors is to remember your loved ones back home. As a truck driver, your responsibility to your loved ones is to drive as safely as possible so you return home. Think of your friends and family and then think if it’s still worth it to send that text or answer that phone call.
HDS Truck Driving Institute is committed to producing the safest and most capable drivers to fill truck driving positions around the country. To learn more about our truck driving school in Tucson, call us toll-free at (877) 205-2141 or contact us online.
