Save A Life: Put Down The Phone

It’s never a good idea to focus on anything but the road when driving, but something that’s become an increasingly serious problem on the road is drivers who text while operating their vehicles. 9 Americans are killed every day from motor vehicle accidents that involve distracted driving – something that encompasses not only texting while driving but also using a cellphone in general or eating. The probability that a cell phone was involved in a motor vehicle crash is an astounding 1 in 4, and using a cellphone while driving increases the risk of a crash by 4x. Texting while driving is banned in 47 states, including the District of Columbia, and talking on the phone while driving is banned in 15 states and the District of Columbia.

The statistics speak for themselves – texting while driving is incredibly dangerous, not only to yourself but to the drivers on the road with you. Some solutions to needing to use your phone while driving are:

1. Let people know that you will be driving and unable to answer your text messages while you are doing so before you get behind the wheel. That way, nobody will worry or get mad at you for not texting back.

2. Utilize text stops, parking areas, and rest stops along your route. Many states have places for drivers to pull over, turn off the engine, and check their messages safely while on the road.

3. If you have a co-pilot, have them take custody of your phone for the drive. If an important message or call comes in, have them use your phone for you to answer.

4. Utilize your car’s Bluetooth capability for phone calls. You’ll be hands-free and able to pay attention to the road while using your phone.

5. Put your phone away for the duration of your drive. As the old adage goes, “out of sight, out of mind.” If you can’t see your phone, you won’t feel the urge to use it while driving.

Texting and driving is a huge problem these days, and it’s up to us to set an example and follow the letter of the law when it comes to cellphone use in the car. You could save not only your car, but your life and the lives of other drivers around you.