Distracted driving is a big problem, guys. (danna / Flickr)
You know drivers have to focus on the road – or else risk causing problems or even causing a crash. But how much do you really know about distracted driving? Take our quizzy and find out.
1
Distracted driving KILLS people. Like, every day. In fact, it kills an average of 9 people every day in the United States and injures more than 1,000! Or does it?
Whoa, that’s crazy. It sounds serious so it must be true!
Um, I don’t know about that. Those numbers seem high. You must be exaggerating. False.
It’s true! Totally true. Terrifying, right?
2
Which one of these things counts as distracted driving?
Flipping through a magazine
Putting on makeup
Grooming your dog
All of these things
Right, yeah, all of those things are pretty distracting. There are three categories of being distracted, by the way: Visual, when the driver’s eyes are off the road (like flipping through a magazine -- and texting); manual, when a driver’s hands are off the wheel (like grooming a dog -- oh, and texting); and cognitive, when the driver’s mind isn’t on the driving (like putting on makeup -- and texting!).
3
Texting and driving increases your risk of crashing by …
9 times
45 times
0 times (yayy!)
23 times
You’re 23 times more likely to crash if you’re drivin’ and textin’.
4
The average time a texting-and-driving driver spends on reading a text is …
10 minutes
a half hour
5 seconds
10 seconds
That sounds like nothing, but if you’re going 55 miles per hour and you look down at your phone for just 5 seconds, you’ll have traveled the length of an entire football field without looking at the road ONCE.
5
True or false: 31% of U.S. drivers between the ages of 18 and 64 have admitted to reading or sending texts or emails while driving.
True. That’s a lot!
False. Considering all the ways you’re trying to scare me with this quiz, it seems like it’s like 80%.
We know. It does seem like more than 31% of people are texting and driving. But 31% is actually kind of a lot. And then think about all the people who aren’t admitting to doing it. Think about THEM. They're texting and driving AND lying!
6
Lots of crashes happen not just because drivers don't pay attention, but also when they are speeding, turning, ignoring signs and signals, failing to signal, and ...
Jaywalking
Failing to yield
Revving the engine
Cruising
Did you know failing to yield is a crime? In the city, the biggest problem is motorists hitting people walking in crosswalks, especially when making left-hand turns. Passengers can help - point out when you see someone walking who has the right of way.
7
You and your friend are headed to a new restaurant you’ve been wanting to try, but you’re not totally sure how to get there. Being the passenger, you …
Tell the driver to Google the directions. She’s the driver, after all.
Put your hands over the driver’s eyes and tell her it’ll be more fun if she “feels” her way there.
Offer the driver a beer so she can relax on the way to dinner.
Look up the directions on your own phone and tell her how to get there.
Maybe even grab her phone, too, so she’s not tempted to check her texts. She probably trusts you to check them for her anyway, right?
8
Imagine you’re driving and your phone starts pinging like crazy. Someone’s group-messaged you or something and you’re dying to see what everyone’s saying. So you …
Just glance at it to see what’s up!
Pull over to somewhere safe for a minute, satisfy your curiosity.
Have a wine cooler and relax. You’re driving!
If you’re really dying to find out what’s happening — or if you think there’s an emergency! — just pull over (safely) and then text away. Just don't do this:
9
Your mom starts reading a text while she’s driving you to a friend’s house. That’s your cue to …
Smack the phone out of her hand and scream as loud as you can!
Say, “Hey Mom, I know you really want to talk to Aunt Blurble right now, but why don’t we wait till later? Or maybe just pull over.”
Text your BFF to complain.
It might be tough to tell your mom what to do. But hey, we could all use a reminder: texting and driving isn’t safe, like really not safe.
10
Of the teens between the ages of 13 and 20 who died in car crashes in 2012, about ____% of them weren’t wearing a seat belt.
10%
20%
45%
55%
You’re a soft, fragile, special human. There are a lot of people who love you. In the battle of steel vs. flesh, steel wins. Wear a seat belt. WE BEG YOU.
