Cell phones and texting at the wheel = accidents

Texting while driving at 55 mph is somewhat equivalent to crossing the length of a football field with your eyes closed. How can that be? Well, drivers who are glancing at a cell phone or who are texting are taking their eyes off the road for 4-6 seconds, the time it takes to travel 110 yards. That is what a 2009 study carried out by researchers at an American university revealed.

No wonder, then, that drivers who use their cell phones while at the wheel have a 38 percent higher risk of being involved in an accident than drivers who don’t allow themselves to take calls or read text messages. Being distracted by a smart phone affects a driver’s performance, including the ability to perform basic tasks such as driving in a straight line. It also reduces a driver’s field of vision and ability to avoid obstacles. That is exactly why calls and text messages—which are seldom urgent—cause numerous accidents every year, sending lots of customers to auto body repair shops or patients to hospitals.

Handling a cell phone while driving can also result in costly traffic violations. Indeed, a moment of inattention while talking on a cell phone frequently results in running a red light or not respecting a right of way, which in turn increases the risk of collision.

Prevent accidents by switching off your phone while driving, or by asking one of your passengers to answer for you. If you must use your phone, adopt the safe practice of stopping in a parking lot or service area to take the call.

If your cell phone rings while driving, be sure to stop in a safe location before you answer it.