INS IDE SCOOP


UN-DISTRACT YOUR DRIVING Or, how to “clear the mechanism”


BY STEVE GOODRICH, UDOT Guest Writer


“You are going to drive


me to distraction” was a phrase one of my junior high school teachers used when we would frustrate her. How relevant that


phrase now seems to be in our 24-hour-a- day information driven society that extends into one of the most intense and complicat- ed activities we perform – driving. Many of us take for granted getting in


our vehicle and arriving where we need to be, to do what we need or want to do. It has become so commonplace we multi-task while we’re driving. You’ve seen it…people eating, shaving, emailing, texting, smok- ing, changing clothes, talking on the phone, changing music CD’s…you get the idea. Activities that compromise our opportunity to return home safely. During the 2013 UTA convention,


UDOT’s Motor Carrier Division attempted to show how difficult it is to drive safely when “driving distracted.” For those who participated in the activity at the Sand Hollow Golf Course, hole #10, it wasn’t pret- ty. Trying to hit a golf ball with a cell phone in your hand, up to your ear, or reading while swinging the driver, some felt they had almost hurt themselves and only two of the 40 or more distracted drives reached the fairway. Not a good outcome. Distracted driving probably accounts for more crashes than any other single crash factor. Distractions come to us as manual, visu-


al and cognitive distractions. Manual dis- tractions are those which cause us to take our hands off the steering wheel like hold- ing a cell phone, texting, emailing, eating, etc. Studies show that you are 23.2 times more likely to get involved in a safety–


www.utahtrucking.com


Clear the Mechanism http://www.mentaltoughnesstrainer.com. Watch how Kevin Costner uses “clear the mechanism” and gets into the zone. To “Get Into the Zone” you need to block out any distractions...roaring crowds,


negative thoughts and worries about past mistakes. The Zone has been described as an ecstatic experience when everything works,


fits, and is just right. It’s effortless and the perfect actions just happen. It’s like being possessed by your best self. You usually have an intense focus on what you’re doing and everything else fades away.


related incident while manually distracted. Visual distractions are those that take


our eyes away from the road. Rubbernecking, fixating on objects not necessary for us to see, and yes, our phone screens, GPS, a map, or other communica- tion devices. Cognitive distractions take our mind


away from our driving. Fatigue, and wan- dering thoughts of other things – home, kids, anger, or a million other things keep our focus away from safe driving. How do we avoid these distractions?


Here are some ideas: • Get plenty of rest and eat a healthy meal before you get on the road, or stop completely before eating or snacking.


• Plan ahead, know where you are going before you drive.


• Adjust mirrors, seats and instruments before leaving.


• Turn off your cell phone or use the silent mode to take away the temptation use it while driving. Let it go to voicemail. When you stop, retrieve your messages.


• Keep your eyes on the road. At 55 mph, a three-second glance at your cell phone screen, looking for your candy bar, changing a CD will find you almost 300 feet further down the road than when you last saw it. A lot can change in those three seconds.


• Prepare for the drive mentally. Stay in the game. Not only can you not afford to be distracted, but you have to account for those on the road who are!


In the 1999 movie, For Love of the


Game, Kevin Costner plays Billy Chapel, an aging pitcher, injured and at the end of his career. As he pitches his last game, his thoughts are pulled in many directions. However, he is able to focus on the tasks at hand as he takes the field each inning. Through all the distractions coming at him, rabid fans and a loud crowd, the other teams’ bench and opposing batters and his own thoughts and fears, he “clears the mechanism” before each pitch. He pushes all distractions away from what he is doing. This puts him in a zone to block out all the distractions coming at him and in the end pitches a perfect game. We must, as we drive, “clear the mecha-


nism” when we get behind the wheel of a large commercial vehicle or even our own personal car. Everyone has responsibility to focus only at the task at hand – on driving safely, taking responsibility for that big truck and the traffic surrounding it on the highways. It is our choice – distracted driv- ing can be eliminated. Working together we can reduce distracted driving, avoid crash- es, prevent injuries, and save lives. UT


For more tips for the professional driver, go to “Drive To Stay Alive” on the UDOT Motor Carrier website at www.udot.utah.gov/go/ motorcarriers and click on the Safety and Compliance heading.


UTAH TRUCKING ~ Issue 2, 2013 13


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