In a recent internet news article (okay, if you’re a fan of this blog, you know we read a lot of articles) the police chief of a California beach town was being interviewed. During the interview he revealed that the number of rear-ending accidents increased significantly in the summer months, and he blamed it on the bikinis.

According to this police chief, drivers are more distracted in the summer. As they look out over the beaches, take a minute to watch the beautiful sunset, or watch scantily-clad girls walking down the sidewalks, they lose focus on the road and wham! Car accident.

Now, here in Arizona, we don’t have beaches. And you’re not likely to see random girls running around in bikinis. But that doesn’t mean we don’t have our fair share of distractions. Distractions that could end up affecting your insurance.

Here are just a few we’ve noticed:

Sunsplash in Mesa AZ – this waterpark is located right next to the freeway and heads often turn to watch people zipping down the waterslides.

Castles N Coasters in Phoenix – again, attractions right beside a major freeway. Eyes are watching the roller coasters zip around instead of staying focused on the road.

Winter Visitors – we’ve all complained a time or two about older drivers slowly making their way down the road. But as drivers pass by glaring at these older drivers, they may miss something in the road ahead of them.

The Sidewalk Statues in Mesa – Mesa has dozens of beautiful bronze statues scattered down a mile stretch of Main street. They’re fun to see, for sure, but only if you’re not the one trying to drive through busy intersections.

The Giant Baby Poster Off of I-10 – have you seen this thing? The image of a giant baby possibly more than 20 feet tall sits on the side of I-10 just past Litchfield. It’s startling to see it there, but be sure to keep your eyes on the road.

University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale – as we write this, we’re beginning to notice a trend in “next to the freeway” distractions. But this building is so unique, it’s difficult to stay focused.

Car Washes – we may not have a beach, but Arizona has more than their fair share of clubs and groups hosting car wash fundraisers. And who do they put on the street corners to draw in customers? You guessed it – the girls in bikinis.

And then, of course, we all tend to look when passing a car accident. We just can’t help ourselves.

Distractions are everywhere. You can’t escape from seeing things that naturally catch your eye. Remember, your first priority is to get you and your passengers to a location safely. You owe it to those around you to be alert and attentive.

Sure, text messaging and cell phone use seem to be the major culprits in creating distractions right now, but almost anything can take your eyes off the road just long enough to create a collision.

Drive carefully. Even with car insurance it’s not worth the price you may pay to be a distracted driver.

By the way, we only mentioned distractions around the Phoenix Valley. If you have seen some major roadside distractions in our state, we want to know about them. What should we be prepared to ignore as we safely make our way down the road? Please leave your comments below.