Distracted driving occurs when a driver’s focus shifts away from driving due to other activities. The risk of a collision increases when a driver takes their eyes off the road, even for just a moment. Distractions can impair performance and lower a driver’s awareness, causing them to react more slowly to important events on the road or even miss them completely.
https://www.nhtsa.gov/campaign/distracted-driving
Vocabulary Questions:
- What is the meaning of the phrase “behind the wheel”? “NHTSA reminds drivers of the deadly dangers and the legal consequences – including fines – of texting and other forms of messaging behind the wheel.” Use this phrase in a sentence.
- What does the phrase “pull over” mean? “If you have to text, pull over to a safe location and park your car — only then should you read or send the text message. ” Use this phrase in your own sentence.
- What does “speak up” mean here, “Speak up if you see someone texting and driving and ask them to put their phone away.” Use this phrase in your own sentence.
Discussion Questions:
- Do you ever text, check social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) or e-mail while driving?
- Are there many traffic accidents due to distracted driving in your country?
- Are fines a sufficient penalty for distracted driving?
- In addition to fines, what other measures can be used to punish distracted drivers?