Texting And Driving, Don’t Do It

It is very easy to become distracted while we are cruising down the road, sunroof open, and music up. We are enjoying the spring air that is finally here. But it is important to remember to keep our full attention on the road, distracted driving is impaired driving. Distractions range from cell phones to music to other passengers. Using a phone while driving is distracting and unless you are hands-free, you should not be picking up your device even if you’re at a stoplight.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 10% of all fatal car crashes and 15% of all injury crashes were caused by distracted drivers. 99% of drivers between the ages of 15 and 19 were distracted at the time of the accident.

This is a problem for anyone who gets behind the wheel of a car, especially young teens just learning to drive. Did you know that when you are driving and trying to focus on your phone the reaction time slows by 33%? That is a huge difference when in a split second it could mean life or death.

Responding to one single text message distracts a driver for roughly five seconds, that is long enough to travel the distance of a football field if your speed is 55 mph, or over.

Sobering statistics:

• 94% of teenagers acknowledge that texting while driving is dangerous.
• 11 teenagers die every single day as a result of texting while driving.
• One out of every four car accidents in the US is caused by texting while driving.
• Cellphone use is highest amongst 16-24 year old drivers.

There has been an increase in technologies like Bluetooth, Android Auto, and Apple CarPlay to assist drivers and decrease the amount of distracted drivers that are on the road. If your vehicle is equipped with these be sure to fully connect before pulling out onto the open road and remember to leave your device alone.