Distracted Driving

At a speed of 25mph, you’re covering about 35 feet – or the length of two cars – every second. At that speed and at that distance, you may not think anything bad could happen... but taking your eyes off the road to quickly check your phone is all it takes to miss your chance to stop. The result? A life-altering, potentially fatal crash. Now, consider this: at 40mph, that’s flying at nearly 60 feet per second – that’s four car lengths. Driving distracted isn’t just dangerous – it's deadly.

In this iteration of our blog series for the National Road Safety Cayman campaign, we’re hoping you’ll join us in taking personal responsibility to be safe on the roads, and maybe even save someone’s life – whether it’s yours or someone on the road with you – and to give you advice on how to stay focused on the road so that everyone can do their part to promote safer driving in the Cayman Islands.

A Simple Distraction:
While you’ve been behind the wheel, have you ever reached to check a notification on your phone? How about changing the radio station or your music playlist? Or turning the A/C higher? All of these – plus many others we’ll explore throughout this blog – seem like simple things that you might believe aren’t really enough to distract you from the road…

…however, those critical seconds where your eyes are off the road or both hands are not on the steering wheel increases not just your own personal risk but the risk of everyone else on the road with you, whether they’re in a car, on a bicycle, or just a pedestrian.

Top 10 Most Common Distractions:

‘Turning Off’ Distractions:

Silence Your Phone: Did you know most smartphones have a built-in feature that allows you to silence notifications while driving? If your vehicle is compatible, you can still make and receive phone calls, and use navigation and audio apps even while driving, keeping you focused on the road and what’s around you.

Use ‘Hands-Free’ Mode: If you need to use your phone, try to make use of your phone’s ‘hands-free’ mode to call for Bixby, Alexa, or Siri (dependent on your smartphone). This way, you can stay focused on the road and keep both hands on the wheel. But remember: it is always better to wait until you are safely parked before using your phone.

Being Considerate on the Road: When driving, maintain a safe speed as prescribed by the law and keep a safe distance between your vehicle and the vehicle in front. Even if you are distracted, this provides you with those crucial seconds you might need to stop in an emergency without being involved in a collision. Remember: It is always better to arrive late than never.

Practice Defensive Driving: As important as it is for you to be aware of your own actions on the road, it is also important to be aware of those around you. Whether it’s a cyclist, someone crossing the road, another car merging lanes, or vehicle car turning onto a side road, it is important to give them the appropriate space to conduct their journey safely.

Don’t Drive With Your Emotions: More importantly, remember to keep your emotions in check. When you’re behind the wheel of your car, you are driving a powerful machine that has the potential to cause serious injuries or even death if misused! Something as simple as cutting someone off, overtaking a slow-moving vehicle, or brake-checking someone could result in a serious collision. Don’t let your emotions distract you from arriving at your destination safely.

If everyone on the road drives with consideration, road safety across Cayman will improve, and everyone will be a little safer. To learn more about safe driving in the Cayman Islands, visit our website: www.gov.ky/roadsafety and remember:

Stay focused: Smart ignores the phone. Reckless misses the signs.