Stop Staring at Your Phone While Driving Your Vehicle
April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, so I thought it would be a good time to talk about something that drives me nuts...texting and driving. Actually not even just people that are texting but people that are constantly staring at their phones while driving.
I constantly see people driving with the face down and staring at their phones. The other day (when I wasn't driving) I was paying close attention to every car that we drove past. At least half of the drivers' heads were down and buried in their phones. I also noticed that it was the younger generation that was mainly guilty of this.
What is so freaking important that you can't drive from one point to another without looking at your phone?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, distracted driving plays a role in more than 9% of all fatal car crashes which translates to more than 3,100 deaths a year and more than 400,000 injuries.
Distracted driving doesn't always mean people that are texting behind the wheel. Distracted driving also refers to people that reading, putting on make-up or shaving (yes, people shave and drive), watching videos, eating, dealing with kids etc.
Sending or reading a text while driving 55 mph is like driving the length of an entire football field with your eyes closed, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Look, something bad is going to happen to you, a loved one, or a complete stranger if you don't change your ways. Whatever is on your phone can wait.
I make a conscious effort to always put my phone in my pocket while I'm driving and refuse to take it out regardless of the texts coming in.
Simply take a moment and think before you get behind the wheel with your phone in your lap. It's so easy to get distracted and it only takes a second to cause an accident.