The California State Department of Motor Vehicles has outlined the various distractions that a driver, regardless of age, might encounter or engage in. Even though it may include state laws that your particular state may not have enacted as yet, the reasoning and cautions are instructive. We haven't included the teenage section, but if there are teenagers in the family, do read the entire file.:

Distractions Are Everywhere

Driving is a skill that requires your full attention to safely control your vehicle and respond to events happening on the roads around you. Driving involves constant and complex coordination between your mind and body. Events or things that prevent you from operating your car safely are distractions. There are three types of distractions and they are anything that takes your:

* eyes off the road (visual).

* mind off the road (cognitive).

* hands off the steering wheel (manual).

When you think about the actions you make in your vehicle, other than just driving, you can see that they often involve more than one type of distraction. For instance, if you change your radio station, you take a hand off the steering wheel to press a button, and take your eyes off the road to look at what button you want to press.

Driver distractions are the leading cause of most vehicle crashes and near-crashes. According to a study released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI), 80% of crashes and 65% of near-crashes involve some form of driver distraction. The distraction occurred within three seconds before the vehicle crash!

According to the NHTSA and VTTI study, the principal actions that cause distracted driving and lead to vehicle crashes are:

* cell phone use.

* reaching for a moving object inside the vehicle.

* looking at an object or event outside of the vehicle.

* reading.

* applying makeup.

Drivers who engage more frequently in distracted driving are more likely to be involved in a vehicle crash or near-crash.

Cell phone use has become so popular these days that many times we don’t realize when, where, and how often we are utilizing our "cellular telephones." Cell phone use while driving has increased so significantly within the last few years that at any typical daytime moment, as many as 10% of drivers are using either a hand-held or hands-free phone.

Studies have shown that driving performance is lowered and the level of distraction is higher for drivers who are heavily engaged in cell phone conversations. The use of a hands-free device does not lower distraction levels. The percentage of vehicle crashes and near-crashes attributed to dialing is nearly identical to the number associated with talking or listening.

Make and finish your cell phone calls before you start your vehicle and drive. If your phone rings while you are driving, let your voicemail pick up the call. If you must answer your phone, pull over to a safe location and park before using your cell phone.

New cell phone laws took effect July 1, 2008 in California. Drivers age 18 and over may use hands-free devices while driving. Drivers under the age of 18 may not use any type of hand-held or hands-free wireless phone while driving.

If you are eating in your vehicle while driving, you are focusing on your food and not on your driving. You are not only chewing and swallowing; you are also opening packages, unwrapping and re-wrapping food, reaching, leaning, spilling, wiping, and cleaning yourself or your vehicle. These are quite a number of distractions for one driver on one trip. You are safer when you stop to eat or drink. Allow yourself plenty of time to stop, rest from driving, and enjoy your meal.

What do children, friends, and pets all have in common? All can be a dangerous distraction to you while you are driving.

Teach young children that driving is an important job and that you must concentrate when you are behind the wheel. Buckle up your children properly. Give them distractions—books, games, or other appropriate toys to occupy their time. If you need to attend to your children, pull over to a safe place. Don’t try to handle children while you are driving.

When you are driving with friends and relatives, establish some strategies to keep your passengers under control. A carload of friends can be very distracting with loud talking, quarrelling over music selections, or horseplay. Arguments and other disturbing conversations should be held in a safe, appropriate place, not while you are driving in your vehicle.

A loose pet in a moving vehicle can be very dangerous. Properly secure your pet in a pet carrier, portable kennel, or specially designed pet harness when you are driving. Never allow your pet to sit in your lap while you are driving your vehicle.

Making destination entries on an in-vehicle navigation system, radio surfing for a good song, or adjusting your vehicle’s climate controls are distracting activities that can put you in danger of a vehicle crash or near-crash. The availability of in-vehicle Internet and e-mail access from cell phones, blackberries, and other portable devices are added distractions that increase your risk of a crash if you engage in these activities while driving.

* Adjust vehicle’s controls (climate controls, mirrors, radio, seat, etc.) before you begin to drive.

* Check your e-mail, voicemail, and any other portable devices you have before you begin driving.

* Take advantage of normal stops to adjust controls.

* Ask your passenger to adjust the radio, climate control, navigation system, etc. for you.

Looking out your window at what you are passing while you are driving can be a distraction if you are concentrating on getting a good look at:

* an accident

* a vehicle pulled over by law enforcement

* construction work

* a billboard advertisement

* a scenic view

* street names and addresses

In this age of multi-tasking, it is common to do more than one task at the same time. You already multi-task when you are driving; your mind and body are working simultaneously to drive your vehicle. You should not add another task on top of what you already need to do to drive safely. These tasks should never be done while you are driving:

* Reading a newspaper, a book, or a map.

* Personal grooming, such as hair grooming, shaving, or applying makeup.

* Smoking and dealing with lighting up, putting out cigarettes, or falling ashes.

* Working in your car: typing on a laptop, making business calls, and writing notes or reports.

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