According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), driver distraction is the diversion of attention from activities critical for safe driving to a competing activity. Not surprisingly, distracted driving increases the risk of getting into a crash. Studies have shown 71% of large truck crashes occurred when the driver was doing something besides driving the truck.
Distractions can come from both inside and outside of your truck cab. Distractions inside of your cab include talking on a cellphone, texting, using dispatching devices, eating, reading or adjusting the radio. Distractions outside of your cab can include looking at a passing building, billboard or person. One way to think about distraction is to ask yourself if something is drawing your attention and taking your eyes away from the road ahead of you. If the answer is yes, it’s probably a distraction.
The following are safety tips to help you stay focused on the road ahead and make you a safer driver. Here are more ways to prevent distracted driving on the road.
