Saving Your Text For Later Can Save Your Life Now
Did you know that there is a ban on texting and driving in 47 states plus DC? And that fines can range from $75 to $400? In 2016, the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration estimated that 3,450 people lost their lives due to a text message, and an additional 391,000 were injured. That’s a lot of accidents, right?
The fact is, those numbers are widely considered to be an underestimate. The National Safety Council found that the assessment is only half of what it should have been. The NHTSA simply isn’t logging distracted driving incidents into the system. And yet, even with this glaringly obvious factor, they still can’t explain why accident occurrences have been skyrocketing for the last five years. The answer is simple: distracted driving is extremely dangerous. So, let’s take a minute to better understand distracted driving and figure out a few ways to beat it.
Using your phone while driving isn’t the only form of distracted driving, just the most common. Distracted driving encompasses anything that can take your eyes off the road. That includes doing your makeup, switching through radio stations, or eating behind the wheel. There are three different types of distractions – Visual, Manual, and Cognitive.
- Visual Distractions refer to anything that takes your eyes off the road, like looking down at a text message. Remember, at 55mph your car can travel the length of a football field in just 5 seconds. Driving that distance while looking down at your phone is the same thing as driving with your eyes closed.
- Manual Distractions include all distractions that take your hands off of the wheel. You can either control your car or you can control your cheeseburger, but you can’t do both! Manual distractions usually go hand-in-hand with visual distractions because your eyes usually follow your active hand.
- Cognitive Distractions are the most difficult to control. You can keep your hands on the wheel and eyes on the road, but it’s all for nothing if you let your mind wander. These distractions refer to anything that takes your focus off of driving, whether it is talking to somebody else, considering a problem, or thinking about that movie you just saw. Stress, anxiety, and depression can be big contributors on cognitive distractions, but so can excitement and humor.
There are many ways to take distracted driving head-on that don’t require sheer willpower. Preparation goes a long way: eat before a trip or while stationary, put your music and your GPS on before you go, and store your phone in the glove compartment. If it is absolutely necessary to have your phone out, download an App to help you stay focused on the road. There are many that will limit your phone to calls, GPS, and music.
One such App is LifeSaver. Distracted driving is a growing epidemic, and Good2Go Auto Insurance wants to help keep you on the road, so we have partnered with LifeSaver to help you stay safe. You can receive a discount on your policy by using LifeSaver, so visit www.good2go.com to learn more and to get a free, no-obligation quote for low-cost, minimum limits auto insurance that can keep you driving legal for less.
https://www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/distracted-driving
https://www.cdc.gov/motorvehiclesafety/distracted_driving/index.html
https://www.personalinjurysandiego.org/topics/facts-about-texting-driving/
