As you drive, it is important to stay vigilant for other drivers who might harm you. If someone is weaving across the road with a bottle of Jack in one hand or revving their vehicle at the lights, you should give them a wide berth. But most drivers who could cause you harm appear far more innocent at first glance.
Distraction contributes to many collisions, and all sorts of people can be guilty of it, from the whisky-toting driver on their way back from the bar to the well-dressed grandmother driving her dog to the vet. You, too have probably been guilty of it at some point. Here are some visible signs to look out for:
1. Their head is turned
Drivers need to look at the road and their mirrors. Aside from when reversing, there is little legitimate reason for a driver to crane their neck around to the back. Yet many drivers do this because they are talking to someone in the back seat or searching for something they or their child dropped. Even someone turning their head less far around, such as if talking to a person in the passenger seat, is not fully focused on the road.
2. Their body is moving
Drivers should be sitting relatively still. If you see someone bopping up and down to the music, surfing their hand on the wind or contorting themselves into strange positions to reach something or change outfits, give them a wide berth. They are most definitely distracted.
3. Their mouth is moving
Drivers’ mouths can be a giveaway of distraction. If they are chewing, then they are eating, and somehow that food needs to get to their mouth. They’ll need to take a hand from the wheel to do it and perhaps turn to look for the food and deal with the mess it creates.
If they appear to be talking to someone, their mind is distracted. It does not matter whether they are talking to a passenger, talking via handsfree or practicing a speech to themselves, their brain is focused on that rather than driving.
If you spot these signs early enough, it could save you a collision. If you spot them late and a crash occurs, mention what you saw to your legal representative and they might be able to use it to show that distraction that led to the crash.