Divert is used with an object/something without consciousness. Distract is used with something that has a consciousness. Consider the two sentences below: (1) I will divert his attention. (2) I will distract his attention. It is more natural to use (1) because although 'he' has a consciousness, his 'attention' does not. In the case of (2) It would be more natural to say: "I will distract him", as 'him' has a consciousness. More examples: (1) The road diverts at the intersection (correct) (2) The road distracts at the intersection (completely and utterly incorrect) Divert is used when an OBJECT is redirected (Ex. a car, one's attention, etc) whereas distract is used when a MIND/CONCIOUSNESS is redirected. :^)

Both have similar meanings: changing the direction. For example, divert is related to changing directions of things. On the other hand, distract is the changing of the directions of feelings. Anyway, this is my opinion.

Distract is to take someone's attention away from sth by making them look at or listen to sth else. Ex: try not to distract the other student. Divert is to deliberately take someone's attention from sth by making them think about or notice other things. **So divert is deliberate action... and also it'll take away attention by bringing up new issues and therefore direct people's attention... Ex: the crime crackdown is an attempt to divert attention ( =change the direction of people attention) from social problems.

I'd say so... divert would be to lead someone to the same target but going a different route; for example in England when construction is happening on roads we DIVERT traffic around the obstruction but still to or near the target or direction originally intended distraction would be to purely just move someones attention from a specified target or object.... or at least that would be my understanding anyway