Distracted Driving: A Dangerous and Expensive Habit

Distracted Driving: A Dangerous and Expensive Habit

It is no surprise that the proliferation of cell phones has caused a major increase in distracted driving incidents. We hear it more and more on the news and in the papers: Someone gets seriously injured or worse while being distracted.  3,450 people were killed due to distracted driving in 2016 and nearly 400,000 folks were injured in 2015 according to reports.

Yet, cell phones aren’t the only culprits. People eat, put on makeup, fiddle with their radios or GPS and fuss with their kids while driving as well.

Even if driving distracted hasn’t caught up with you, it is taking a toll on your wallet in the meantime. Here’s how:

Abrupt stops

By not paying attention to the road ahead, people are more than likely to slam on the brakes to avoid an accident. This puts unnecessary strain and wear and tear on your brakes, rotors and suspension over time. By keeping your eye out for upcoming hazards, traffic and lights, you can ease on your brakes and make a comfortable, low impact stop.

Acceleration

Similar to braking, distracted drivers also have to hit the gas more. Distracted at a light or not keeping pace with traffic, distracted drivers typically work their engines and transmissions harder, constantly slowing down or speeding up. This is a killer on brakes, fuel and general wear and tear.

Swerving

Distracted drivers typically have to spend a bit more on tires due to their habits. Rather than looking for road hazards and staying between the painted lines, distracted drivers are often swerving out of the way or trying to get back on the road. The swerving puts extra demand on tires and roadside debris can puncture a tire, causing a flat.

Resell value

A car that has been abused over the years shows its condition, and a mechanic/dealership can tell when a car has been worked too hard. Between brake and suspension issues to transmission performance, a car with low mileage but with a lot of wear and tear simply won’t bring the same value when it comes time to sell as a car that was driven correctly and has been well maintained.

The moral of the story is: it can wait. You, your family, your wallet and everyone else around you will thank you for focusing on the road. Paying attention while driving will make for far safer road conditions (for everyone) and ultimately cost you less money in the long run by putting less strain on your vehicle.

Ultimately, the team at BBack Car Care truly want our customers to be safe and to get the very best out of their cars. If you have a habit of being distracted behind the wheel, try to kick the habit. Put the phone down, stick to one radio station or map out your route before you hit the road rather than relying on a GPS.

Need to schedule an appointment? Fill out the online appointment form or give us a call today and one of our service writers will assist you.