A lot can happen in three seconds. You can kiss your kid, watch a bird fly by or die in a car accident. According to a groundbreaking study by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI), 80 percent of all car crashes and 65 percent of near-crashes involve some form of driver inattention during the three seconds before the event.

Think about that for a moment. Taking your eyes off the road for just three seconds can mean the difference between life and death. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2008, nearly 6,000 people died and a half million others were injured and learned that lesson the hard way.

Distracted driving is defined as any non-driving activity a person engages in that has the potential to distract him or her from the primary task of driving. The U.S. Government website, www.distraction.gov, says there are three main types of distractions:

* Visual – taking your eyes off the road

* Manual – taking your hands off the wheel

* Cognitive – taking your mind off what you’re doing

The most common distractions include playing with the controls in the car, eating and drinking, talking on a cell phone and texting and conversing with people in the car. While experienced drivers have likely developed strategies for minimizing the dangers presented by these distractions, like pulling off to the side of the road when they want to make a phone call or only changing radio stations when stopped at a traffic light, they can be problematic for new drivers.

That’s why in recent years, many driving safety programs have focused extensively on ways to curb distracted driving. As part of the commitment to protecting their customers, many auto insurance companies are doing the same.

Allstate, for example, provides resources on its website that parents can use to encourage their kids to be safe drivers, including a Parent-Teen Driving Contract and tips parents can refer to that illustrate how important it is to focus on safety.

A recent survey found that three out of four teens consider their parents to be the biggest influence over how they drive, so it’s a good idea to take advantage of these resources, and not just from a safety standpoint.

When giving auto insurance quotes for a young driver, many insurance companies offer discounts to those who’ve made a proven commitment to safe driving.

Courtesy of ARAcontent