MOTORING NEWS - Being distracted from driving is one of the major causes of road accidents and motorists need to be conscious of this, says Dewald Ranft, chairman of the Motor Industry Workshop Association (Miwa), a constituent association of the Retail Motor Industry Organisation (RMI).

Texting while operating a vehicle is the most dangerous activity, but distracted driving includes other activities.

"It is any activity that takes a person's attention away from the main task of driving," says Ranft. 

"There are three types of distractions - visual, when the driver takes his or her eyes off the road; manual, where a task requires the driver to take hands off the steering wheel; and cognitive, when the driver's mind is not focused on the task at hand."

These activities could include eating and drinking, grooming, adjusting the radio or talking to passengers.

"However, texting is the riskiest activity because it is a visual, manual and cognitive diversion, which means no attention is being paid to the road," says Ranft. When driving, you have to think about a lot of things: speed, the traffic laws, the direction you're going in, road conditions, pedestrians, other cars around you. If the driver isn't focused on the task at hand, there is a greater chance that you'll be involved in an accident.

"We need to get off our phones and drive. That should be the only priority. You do not want to become a statistic."

Passengers can help by reminding the driver when their attention is not on the road and assisting them with anything they may need, he says.

Ranft offers these additional tips to ensure safer driving:

• Don't read, eat, change clothing or groom yourself while driving.
• Don't allow passengers to be a distraction. Ensure small children are buckled up before departing. If they require attention during the trip, rather pull over to assist them.
• Don't let animals roam around the vehicle freely. Rather put them in a pet carrier restraining.
• Create a playlist with your favourite music so you don't have to look for songs.
• Let your friends and family know you will not answer any phone calls or texts while driving.
• Keep a safe following distance, allowing time to react if necessary.

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