Once you have been driving for a year or two it feels like you have been driving all of your life. And while you may be a great driver, this mentality often leads to dangerous distractions.

Whether it’s on the side of a bus-stop or you see a television commercial while you are watching the news, awareness for driving based distractions has never been higher! However, despite this level of awareness, far too many drivers continue to sit behind the wheel of their car and become distracted drivers.

How to Combat Two of the Most Common Driving Distractions

If you struggle to keep your attention on the task of driving while you are on the road, below is a post from Bill Rigdon which can help.

The Right Music for the Task

The first place to start is with one of the easiest ways to become distracted: Bad Music! Or, more appropriately, ‘not the right music you want to hear while you are driving’. This, of course, leads you to take your eyes off the road for a few seconds while you either change to the next song or you choose new music entirely. Again, of course, this is all the time that is needed for you to cause an accident. The best way to avoid this is with a bit of preparation. One evening while you are flicking through the same social media posts over and over again while you half-watch TV, create a range of playlists for a range of tasks, such as:

• Smooth driving to work
• Refreshing commute home from work
• On the road to the gym!
• Road Trips
• Music to sing your heart out in the privacy of your tinted windows

Of course, if you have your own errands which you run then you can create a playlist for these also. The idea behind these is that you can simply get in the car each time, choose the right playlist for what is ahead, and enjoy the drive only worrying about whether any other drivers can see you performing a power ballad at the red light! Click here to buy AMSOIL Signature Series 0W-20 Synthetic Motor Oil and keep your engine in good shape. Speak with Bill Rigdon today at (503) 329-9004 to find out how a synthetic oil change in Clackamas, OR can keep your engine running smoother for longer.

Text and Calls

It should come as no surprise to see calls and text on a list of top driving distractions. Whether it’s an email from work, a text from your partner, or even just a call asking if you are happy with your long distance provider, for some reason, each time that we get in the car and drive, each and every alert which our phone receives is of the utmost importance! Of course, the best thing that you can do to avoid these distractions is to turn your phone off and leave it in the backseat out of reach. Plain and simple. If this isn’t an appealing option or even an option at all, then consider using your phone instead. Hold on, wait! What? Use your phone while you drive to avoid using your phone while you drive? If your phone was made within the past few years then there is a good chance that there is a powerful digital assistant hiding inside. You don’t have to download and install anything or teach it your voice, you simply have to look through your settings and turn it on. Think about this example:

• Your phone makes a loud beep as you are driving.
• You are certain that it is the most important message of your life.
• Instead of pulling over to read it, you lean over and search for your device.
• Once in your hand, it gets all of your attention, leaving your car to travel forward without direction.

This is enough time to cause a serious accident. Now, if you turn on your digital assistant:

• Your phone makes a loud beep are you are driving and a friendly digital voice tells you who the message is from and offers to read it aloud to you.
• You listen to the message, and are then offered the option to reply.
• You decide to reply by simply speaking back to your phone.

Both of the scenarios see a message read and responded to, however with the help of a digital assistant only one scenario needed you to take your attention off the road.

Prevent Dash Light Distractions with a Synthetic Oil Change in Clackamas, OR

In addition to the above, distractions caused by blinking lights on your dash can lead to dangerous situations. Keep your car in good shape with regular maintenance, like a synthetic oil change in Clackamas, OR. A synthetic oil change can work to bring new life to your engine and help to extend its lifespan. Speak with Bill Rigdon at (503) 329-9004 to learn more or to place an order for a high-quality engine oil. If you prefer to read further information, be sure to check out the online store which has additional information about the range of high-quality AMSOIL products available, including their use-cases.