# Advice for distracted drivers and/or those that distract them **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 11, 2025, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-for-distracted-drivers-and-or-those-that-distract-them/1025625 "2025-12-11T22:39:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2025, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-for-distracted-drivers-and-or-those-that-distract-them/1025625/1 "2025-12-11T22:39:20Z")
For drivers that have to make eye contact with others in the car while they talk, and for others in the car that talk to drivers knowing full well that the driver will try to make eye contact with them: _Shut the fuck UP!_ Multitasking is just a myth, and you are not that good a driver. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2025, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-for-distracted-drivers-and-or-those-that-distract-them/1025625/2 "2025-12-11T22:54:59Z")
And for drivers that have to make eye contact with others AND hand gestures in the car while they talk: _Thank you for being an organ donor._ ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2025, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-for-distracted-drivers-and-or-those-that-distract-them/1025625/3 "2025-12-11T22:56:16Z")
They are a major hazard to others on the road, though. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2025, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-for-distracted-drivers-and-or-those-that-distract-them/1025625/4 "2025-12-11T23:09:31Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > For drivers that have to make eye contact with others in the car while they talk, a Its not talking- it’s texting, use of a cell phone. [https://www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/distracted-driving](https://www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/distracted-driving) ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2025, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-for-distracted-drivers-and-or-those-that-distract-them/1025625/5 "2025-12-11T23:34:14Z")
You misspelled > Thank you for creating lots of other fresh organ donors. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2025, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-for-distracted-drivers-and-or-those-that-distract-them/1025625/6 "2025-12-11T23:43:47Z")
Texting is an entirely different problem. I am talking specifically about talking to other passengers, and passengers that talk to drivers. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2025, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-for-distracted-drivers-and-or-those-that-distract-them/1025625/7 "2025-12-11T23:56:00Z")
I’m not good with eye contact, and would rather listen to music in the car than talk to a passenger. So I guess you don’t have to worry about me plowing into you! ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2025, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-for-distracted-drivers-and-or-those-that-distract-them/1025625/8 "2025-12-12T00:07:32Z")
Had a close call recently? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2025, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-for-distracted-drivers-and-or-those-that-distract-them/1025625/9 "2025-12-12T00:15:01Z")
Very recently, recently, not so recently… constantly. ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2025, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-for-distracted-drivers-and-or-those-that-distract-them/1025625/10 "2025-12-12T01:33:56Z")
My Mom was pulled over by the police because she was talking and laughing with her friends while she was driving. This was over 50 years ago. This is not a new problem. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2025, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-for-distracted-drivers-and-or-those-that-distract-them/1025625/11 "2025-12-12T01:36:08Z")
Riding a motorcycle, I see those idiots all the time. You can spot them a mile away. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2025, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-for-distracted-drivers-and-or-those-that-distract-them/1025625/12 "2025-12-12T01:37:42Z")
But that is why some of the blame falls on the people distracting the driver. They have to take the blame if something bad happens because of that distraction. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2025, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-for-distracted-drivers-and-or-those-that-distract-them/1025625/13 "2025-12-12T01:48:58Z")
But, but, but on TV shows the driver talks and makes contact for 30 seconds with passengers, especially ones in the back seat, and there is never an accident! ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2025, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-for-distracted-drivers-and-or-those-that-distract-them/1025625/14 "2025-12-12T02:48:46Z")
My new car _nags_ me about not keeping my eyes forward. It’s right. So I don’t turn off the nagging. Eventually it’ll train me out of looking away while I’m in motion. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2025, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-for-distracted-drivers-and-or-those-that-distract-them/1025625/15 "2025-12-12T07:06:37Z")
Heh. I’m the nag when Ivy’s driving. She’s always glancing at me. And I’m not talking, I promise. She may be talking(reverse nagging me). I just look ahead and point. She gets the message. I nearly have her trained. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2025, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-for-distracted-drivers-and-or-those-that-distract-them/1025625/16 "2025-12-12T07:43:20Z")
Yeah, I would prefer that passengers mostly shut up. I am not turning to look at you but even listening is a distraction. Not so bad on the highway with no other traffic around but in the city… Two days ago I was driving down a straight piece of road, doing about 60 kph, when an adult pedestrian chose to run across the road in front of me. I had to brake and swerve to miss him. This was despite the fact that behind me was about 300 yards of clear, traffic less road. Recounting this at work today I said that, had i had a passenger aboard, and looked away from the road to talk I would have plowed straight through the guy. Mind you, same result if I had sneezed. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2025, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-for-distracted-drivers-and-or-those-that-distract-them/1025625/17 "2025-12-12T14:16:13Z")
> [@Duckster](#): > > But, but, but on TV shows the driver talks and makes contact for 30 seconds with passengers, especially ones in the back seat, and there is never an accident! Those scenes drive me crazy. I want to reach into the TV, grab them and scream “EYES ON THE ROAD, DIPSHIT!” ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2025, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-for-distracted-drivers-and-or-those-that-distract-them/1025625/18 "2025-12-12T15:10:17Z")
> [@Bullitt](#): > > Riding a motorcycle, I see those idiots all the time. You can spot them a mile away. I wonder what motorcycling has to do with it? I see plenty while driving a car. I totally get that you might be super extra defensive while riding, but I’d expect you take that same super extra defensiveness similarly seriously while driving. Habits is habits. Plenty of oblivious drivers out there driving while oblivious to the distracted driving taking place all around them. To anyone paying attention, both of those scourges are everywhere. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2025, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-for-distracted-drivers-and-or-those-that-distract-them/1025625/19 "2025-12-12T15:44:18Z")
I don’t notice people in other cars specifically being distracted by a conversation. To do that, I would have to take my eyes off the road to look through their windows. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2025, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-for-distracted-drivers-and-or-those-that-distract-them/1025625/20 "2025-12-12T15:51:46Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > But that is why some of the blame falls on the people distracting the driver. They have to take the blame if something bad happens because of that distraction. Like my husband, who as a passenger delights in calling attention to interesting things we are passing, while I’m driving (for certain values of “interesting”). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-for-distracted-drivers-and-or-those-that-distract-them/1025625.md?page=2)