Delaware Defensive Driving Practice Test

What common behavior can lead to distracted driving?

1. Listening to music

2. Texting or using a phone

3. Engaging in conversations

4. Having passengers in the vehicle

The correct answer is: Texting or using a phone

Texting or using a phone is a primary contributor to distracted driving because it diverts attention from the road in multiple ways. When engaging with a mobile device, a driver is not only focused on the screen instead of the surroundings, but they are also likely to take their hands off the steering wheel and their eyes off the road. This multitasking significantly increases the risk of an accident, as it impairs a driver's ability to react swiftly to sudden changes in traffic or road conditions. Texting, in particular, combines visual, manual, and cognitive distractions, making it one of the most dangerous forms of distracted driving. Listening to music, engaging in conversations, and having passengers might be considered less dangerous as they do not inherently require the same level of focus and manual interaction as texting. While they can still lead to distractions, they usually do not compromise the driver's attention to the same extent as using a phone.