1. Shore Safety Specialist
Naval Safety Center
Distracted Driving
Don Borkoski
Shore Safety Specialist
x-7134
Shore Safety Division
V1: 20 September 2018

2. What is Distraction? Your Brain is a computer. It process every input.
Too much input will cause your brain
to prioritize on the most “Active” task.
Distractions are actions that overwhelm your brain causing it to lose focus on the most “Important” task.
….like driving !

3. Brain Task Capacity Our brain processes one action at a time.
If we do two or more things,
it splits the time.
(not equally)
(You can test this by patting your head and rubbing your belly at the same time)
The more you focus on one action
(like texting)
The more time is taken away from other actions
(like driving)
Everyone's brain has a different capacity for processing.
Women have more capacity then Men !
Everyone has a limit !

4. Three Main Types of Distraction
DISTRACTED DRIVING
Operating a vehicle while performing non-driving activities
that distracts from your primary task of driving.
THREE MAIN TYPES OF DISTRACTION
Visual — taking your eyes off the road
Physical — taking your hands off the wheel
Cognitive — taking your mind off what you’re doing
Non-driving distractions are things you CHOOSE to do
that are not necessary to safely operate your vehicle
Those distractions endanger your life !!

5. Three Main Types of Distraction
DISTRACTED DRIVING
Operating a vehicle while performing non-driving activities
that distracts from your primary task of driving.
Texting
is the most hazardous non-driving distraction
because it involves all three types of distraction.
visual
physical
cognitive
THREE MAIN TYPES OF DISTRACTION
Visual — taking your eyes off the road
Physical — taking your hands off the wheel
Cognitive — taking your mind off what you’re doing
Non-driving distractions are things you CHOOSE to do
that are not necessary to safely operate your vehicle
Those distractions endanger your life !!

6. Distraction Changes Your Focus
Minimal distractions
Heightened Awareness
Distractions
….Start to lose Situational Awareness
….Focus shifts to the most Active Task
Overwhelming distractions
….Eventually you stop processing the most Important Task !
DRIVING !

7. The faster you are moving, the more dire the consequences
Distractions take your mind off of driving…
but your car keeps moving!……
Without your input,
your car will not stay on track.
You may not even recognize the danger
until it is too late!
The faster you are moving,
the more dire the consequences
if you crash!

8. Stats

9. Choose to not drive distracted !!
Help
Choose to not drive distracted !!

10. Participation… What are some common distractions that affect driving?
Adjusting Radio Channel (V,P,C)
Talking (C,maybe-V,maybe-P)
Children (V,P,C)
GPS/Map (V,P,C)
Towing (V,P,C)
Grooming (V,P,C)
Drinking (P)
Eating (P)
Smoking (P)
Dog in lap (P)
Adjusting Mirrors (P)
Sharp Turn (P)
Checking Mirrors (V)
Foggy Windows (V)
Rain/wipers (V)
Darkness (V)
Sun/Glare (V)
Car Map-light (V)
High Beams (V)
Radio Playing (C)
Stress (C)
Hands Free (C)
Abnormal Car Sound (C)
Heavy Traffic (C)
Just Talking (C)
(V=Visual P=Physical C=Cognitive)

11. Number One “DND While Driving”
The #1 single driving distraction is Cell Phones/Texting !
(There are many other distractions. Manage your risk!)
In the US, 13.4 Million drivers are on the road at a given daylight point in time.
At that same time, at least 1 Million drivers are talking or texting on their phone.
In 2016, 3,450 were killed and 391,000 were injured because of cellphone related distraction.
Manage your risk. Don’t text and drive.
Set your phone to
“DND While Driving”
The most dangerous object in your car is your phone.
(Data obtained from the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration-NHTSA)

12. https://trips.safety.army.mil/navy/Home
Travel Strategy
If you are driving further than a tank of gas will take you, plan ahead!
Assess and reduce risk
before you go…
Use TRiPS (Travel Risk Planning System)
To plan and reduce risk easily.
Follow the Link below:

13. Distracted Driving Risk Management Discussion
Scenario: You and a few shipmates or friends are driving several hours to spend the weekend in a mountain cabin a few hours drive away. You aren’t familiar with the route. You have the GPS programmed. It’s early winter and snow isn’t forecast but clouds are pretty thick.
Using Time Critical Risk Management (Assess the situation, Balance your resources, Communicate to others, Do and Debrief the event) what will you do IF:
Your friends get into a heated argument in the backseat?
Your GPS routes you onto a dead end road?
You get a phone call (and pull over to answer it) but the conversation contained bad news?
A light snow begins to fall when you’re still an hour from the cabin?
There are plenty of ways to ORM this scenario. Have a small group discussion about the distractions and what you’ll do to either get safely to the cabin or back home, depending on your conclusions.

14. you are operating a potentially deadly machine.
Manage your Risk
When you drive,
you are operating a potentially deadly machine.
Avoid distractions.
Drive responsibly.
Manage your risk!

15. Thank You for your attention
Visit our website:
Share your articles, suggestions and pictures!
us at: