person-woman-smartphone-car (1)

3 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Use Your Phone While You’re Driving

Driving is a privilege individual often take for granted. Obeying the rules of the road and staying proactive at all times is essential for safe driving practices. Unfortunately, distracted driving is on the rise and many believe cell phone usage is the culprit. While cell phones have their place, they certainly should never be used while you are driving.

Cell Phone Statistics

To understand the full ramifications of driving while using a cell phone, it is important to learn some statistics. One of the number one causes of accidents across the country is distracted driving. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 3,166 lives were lost due to distracted driving in 2017. With five billion people worldwide now having access to cell phones, it is not difficult to realize distracted driving incidents will continue to rise.

Many people have had an accident while texting and the results of such accidents can be deadly. Cell phones should never be used while driving. If an emergency occurs, pulling over to a complete stop is essential for safety.

3 Reasons You Should Never Use Your Cell Phone While Driving

Most everyone has heard horror stories about serious auto accidents caused by cell phone usage. While teens are the most common to experience distracted driving, adults are certainly not immune. The following offers three critical reasons why cell phones and driving should never be combined.

  1. The number one reason you should avoid texting and driving is it may be illegal. Many states have adopted cell phone use laws with California being the strictest. Driving while texting could lead to serious fines and a loss of your license. At the very least, you could be pulled over and given a ticket.
  2. It only takes a second for a deadly accident to occur. One look down at your phone could lead to an accident that alters lives forever. Deaths cannot be reversed so the decisions you make could have a permanent impact on others. If you absolutely must read a text or send one, it only takes a couple of seconds to pull over and park.
  3. According to a study produced by Car and Driver Magazine, texting while driving delays your response time as much as driving while drunk or even more. If texting leads to the same dangers as driving while under the influence, it is something you should completely avoid doing.

Protect Yourself and Others

There are now plenty of hands-free devices on the market that can allow you to talk and text without looking down at your phone or typing. Voice activation is a technology all drivers and cell phone users should embrace. You owe it to yourself, passengers, and other drivers to stay proactive and alert at all times while driving. A failure to do so puts everyone in danger. If you’re in the market for a first car for your teen, knowing they’re going to be likely to be a distracted driver should be a factor in your decision. You’re going to want to look at the car’s safety features, so that in case of an accident your child has the best chance of survival possible. 

Conclusion

Driving requires complete focus at all times. Distracted driving kills thousands of people each year and the number one cause of distraction is cell phone use. If you like using a cell phone while driving, consider amending how it is used.

There is no conversation worth risking your own life or the lives of others. Make it a policy to never use your cell phone while driving so you remain undistracted at all times.