BEING focused while driving is one way to ensure your safety on the nation’s road as more drivers tend to be multitasking at the steering.

According to a study by the Mona GeoInformatics Institute located on the University of the West Indies Mona campus in St Andrew, during the period 2000 to 2010, nine out of 10 crashes in Jamaica are caused by the driver. The study of 72,000 crashes indicated that driver distraction was one of the main reasons for incidents.

“Motorists put themselves and other road users at great risk when they do not pay full attention to their driving,” says Duane Ellis, Jamaica Automobile Association (JAA) general manager.

“Distractions may come from passengers in the vehicle, persons on the roadway, objects and potholes on the road as well as events taking place,” he continued.

Other distractions include the use of cell phones, using DVD players, and TVs.

“Our drivers need to understand that the simple act of taking your eyes of the road for more than two seconds counts as a visual distraction and can lead to a serious crash,” Ellis said.