A lot of people have done texting or using their cell phones while driving. They're on the road, they get a notification, and they reach for it to check what the notification is about. But, of course, that won't take a minute to do, and they'll end up okay after, right?
Wrong. Just because many people can get away with it doesn't make it okay to do it. Accident attorneys will tell you the same thing. Using a cell phone - or any type of distraction - while driving is hazardous. And that is why it's imperative to know the reasons why you don't use a cell phone while driving.
Sometimes we don't understand it, but humans have this fondness for doing things that are potential threats to their lives. We all know smoking slowly deteriorates our body, and yet many still do it. Sharks can shred our bodies in seconds, and yet people still swim with them at a touching distance. Hundreds of thousands of people are scared of people. Yet, we see Youtube videos of people jumping from one skyscraper to another. These are just three examples of the many ways people put their lives in danger for the adrenaline rush.
Two of the examples, however, are known to be extreme. But, if there is one device that sums up our generation, mobile phones would be that. It's safe to say that virtually the entire world population is connected through phones. Back in the day, we only use mobile phones to make or take calls and text messages and play Snake from time to time. Nowadays, we use phones for pretty much everything - manage your business, listen to music, receive and send emails, what have you.
So to answer why people use cell phones while driving, it's because, with your phone, you would be able to do many tasks. And when we couple that with driving, you would be able to finish some tasks while you're on your way to your work, business, or school. That's hitting multiple birds with one stone.
Early last year, insurance comparison website The Zebra surveyed texting while driving. They created the survey to gather data and learn more about the awareness around texting and driving behaviors across the US. Below are the results of their survey.
15.6% of drivers between the ages of 18 and 24 have admitted they text while driving. However, 20% of the respondents claimed they are not familiar with texting while driving laws of their respective states. In addition, 12.2% of the respondents are not familiar with state laws at all. However, to finish the survey, 49% of the respondents say that using a cell phone to text while driving is illegal in all states.
Another part of the survey tackled GPS use. The results are: 9.5% of the respondents say that using GPS while driving is far more dangerous than texting while driving. Also, more than 50% of the respondents say otherwise.
These data clearly show that distracted driving behaviors are not just focused on texting while driving.
Short story, the main reason is apparent; it's dangerous. It doesn't take minutes to get into an accident. Sometimes, when you take your eyes off the road for just two seconds, this increases your chance of getting into a vehicular accident. Even when you answer a text, it's going to take you at least 5 seconds to respond. And when you travel at 50mph, you'd be able to traverse a football field within five seconds. That's enough distance and time to get into an accident.
And if one thinks that vehicular accidents due to using a cell phone while driving is not ordinary, they need to think again. Texting while driving is six times more accident-prone compared to driving under the influence (DUI), specifically drunk while driving. And the sad thing is, unlike DUI, which is heavily regulated, texting while driving can be quickly done and may go unnoticed most of the time.
Of course, there are different types of distracted driving, not just using phones. There's the reaching out for something, for one. However, using a cell phone while driving is one of the most concerning problems for policy-makers across the country. As mentioned, many of the driver population has done this at least once and has gotten away with it. And due to most of the population becoming dependent on mobile phones, there's a rapid increase in cell phone usage while driving their cars.
Using cell phone while driving and other types of distracted driving are becoming a severe threat to daily road driving safety. Even with all the safety driving regulations, when there's an ongoing increase in mobile phone use while on the road, it may become a global problem.
In 2015, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that about 3,5000 people died in accidents due to distracted driving. Two years later, the number rose to more than 4,600, not to mention the almost 400,000 injuries that came with the report. 25% of these accidents occurred because drivers used their cell phones while driving.
Apart from the one mentioned, getting involved in a car accident can get messy. When you use your cell phone while driving and got into a road mishap, there's a chance that you're going to be at fault. Most insurance companies, if not all, will always consider this. And when texting while driving is proven, you may become liable for the accident, especially when the victim hires a lawyer. Not only will this take your money, it may also escalate to a lawsuit and possibly jail time. Of course, nobody wants that.
It isn't easy to let people get off the phone while driving. Let's all admit; it's kind of addicting. But for those who want to stop the habit, here are some tips on avoiding reaching for the phone while driving.
Most of the time, phone calls and text messages are of less priority. But there are times that you need to answer a call or a text, especially if it is an emergency. If driving and needs to answer badly, it's much wiser to pull the car over and answer the call or text message. Now, this may be easy to do when driving on a road that is not too busy. But for those who are driving on a highway or freeway, look for the nearest parking lot or gas station.
It may be hard to keep virtually drivers away from using phones. Still, we can have modern technology to aid this problem. Mobile app developers develop software that can block calls or text messages so that drivers can focus on the road. In addition, some cell phones have a feature called "drive mode" to notify the driver while driving when it is on. Though some drivers may still get tempted to check out some notifications, this software and features would at least give protection that would abstain drivers from doing so.
Some drivers may need to use while driving. Uber and Lyft drivers, for example, use navigation apps to get some directions. Aside from navigation apps, there are other apps that drivers need to make their driving faster and more convenient. A phone mount may do just the trick to bridge the gap between distracted driving and reasonable phone use. Position the phone mount near eye level. This way, drivers can still focus on the road and yet see the phone screen while eliminating the need to hold the phone.
The use of cell phone while driving may pose a serious threat to lives, but anyone can manage. And to provide additional protection, cars with advanced safety features will lessen your chance of getting into vehicular accidents. When you're looking for used cars for sale in Orem or Lehi, UT, always ask for the assistance of trained sales agents so you'd know which one to choose.
