With natural hazards like icy roadways, vision-obscuring storms, and animals wandering into traffic, driving a vehicle is dangerous enough without us making it even worse. Nevertheless, thousands of car accidents are caused every day by motorists paying attention to the wrong things.

Not only is that a good way to get yourself hurt, but it’s also a good way to hurt other people as well. Then, on top of hospital bills and insurance payments, there’s a very good chance you’ll end up in court. And trust me, no car accident lawyer in Kingston is going to hesitate to make sure that the person responsible for a crash that injured someone else is held liable.

Take my advice, drive responsibly, and avoid the following distractions…

Cell Phone Use

The invention of the cell phone has been revolutionary for society and telecommunications, but disastrous for road safety. Holding a phone conversation while driving is distracting enough, but today’s mobile phones are even worse. Providing 24/7 access to the Internet and social media, the temptation to “check Facebook really quick” while you’re on a straight stretch of road has never been deadlier. Worst of all is text messaging, with many people finding it difficult to resist replying when they hear that familiar text notification sound, even when in traffic.

Eating and Drinking

Drive-thru dining is a convenient option for people on the go, and taking a snack along on a lengthy car ride always seems like a good idea. However, trying to eat or drink while driving is often more trouble than it’s worth. Twisting open the cap of a bottled beverage can be tricky without using both hands, but operating a steering wheel (and a stick shift, if you drive manual) while doing so is even trickier. Food, meanwhile, is often messy (especially the kind you get from drive-thrus), meaning that while you’re cleaning crumbs off your chest or struggling to keep that half-eaten burger from falling apart, you’re not focusing on the road.

Daydreaming

Believe it or not, one of the leading causes of driver distraction is one of the most superfluous and avoidable. Driving long distances can be boring, and that sometimes leads to people letting their minds wander. You may think everything is okay as long as your eyes are on the road, but daydreaming reduces reaction time and makes it difficult to adapt to unexpected changes. If you’ve been driving for a long time and find yourself getting lost in thought, it might be a good idea to pull over until you gather your senses or find a motel room and call it a night.