Driving while being distracted by any activity:
- Is never dangerous.
- Usually causes the driver to react more slowly to hazards. ✓
- Usually causes the driver to drive faster.
- Is only dangerous for young drivers.
Answer: B. Usually causes the driver to react more slowly to hazards.
Being distracted by any activity usually makes you react more slowly to hazards.
Why this is the answer
The Texas handbook says that when your attention is not on the road, you put yourself, your passengers, other vehicles, and pedestrians in danger. It explains that any activity can pull your full attention away from driving. It also notes that if drivers react a half-second slower because of distractions, crashes double. That directly supports the idea that distraction usually slows your reaction to hazards.
Why the other answers are wrong
- A. Is never dangerous. — This is wrong because the handbook says distracted driving puts you, your passengers, other vehicles, and pedestrians in danger, not that it is harmless.
- C. Usually causes the driver to drive faster. — The passage does not say distraction usually makes drivers go faster; it says distracted vehicles may travel at inconsistent speeds, which does not mean faster.
- D. Is only dangerous for young drivers. — The handbook describes distracted driving as a danger for drivers generally, not as a risk only for young drivers.
Remember it
Treat any activity that takes your eyes, hands, or mind off driving as borrowed reaction time.