Indiana has seen its fair share of distracted driving accidents that have resulted in mild to fatal injuries. In fact, many advocacy organizations are constantly preaching just how dangerous distracted driving behaviors, such as texting and driving, can be. However, some other behaviors can be even more dangerous when performed behind the wheel of a vehicle.

Grooming

The car used to be a place where a person’s attention was given to the task of driving safely to his or her destination. Unfortunately, now the car is becoming just another place for people to finish getting ready to start their day. Activities like grooming and putting on makeup while driving are extremely dangerous and can result in a motor vehicle accident. Both activities require intense attention on the part of the person performing the action. This takes his or her eyes off the roadway for extended periods.

Having Pets in the Car

While many animal trainers and vets will tell you that you should be keeping your pets in a crate while they’re in the vehicle, many pet owners don’t follow their instructions. Simply having a pet in the vehicle takes one’s attention away from the road and can result in an accident. This holds especially true when the animal becomes exceptionally excited about something outside of the vehicle, such as a pedestrian walking by or a motorcycle being next to you.

Eating or Drinking

Drive-thrus make it easier than ever for people to eat their meals while behind the wheel of their vehicle. Many folks believe that they can multitask this process. However, this usually results in them trying to steer with one hand on the steering wheel and the other holding their food. When they need to react quickly to an unforeseeable obstacle in the roadway, they typically can’t do so very quickly.

While many people are commonly informed of the dangers involved with texting and driving, not many give much thought to the other activities they do behind the wheel of their vehicle. Activities like grooming, transporting pets and even eating behind the wheel can all increase one’s likelihood of being involved in a motor vehicle accident. It’s best to focus solely on the task of driving instead of trying to multitask while behind the wheel of your vehicle.