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Just for PolicyHolders > Kids,
Cars, And Car Seats
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Cell Phones and Driver Distractions |
According to the
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration,
driver distractions are a contributing cause in
approximately 25 percent of all motor vehicle
crashes or about 1.2 million accidents. However,
distractions can be hard to quantify, and the number
of accidents due to driver distractions is difficult
to define. What can further complicate matters is
that there may be more than one distraction, such as
eating while chastising a child in the backseat. In
addition, vehicles have become much more
sophisticated with options such as navigation
systems, DVD players, and video games.
Cell phones are
considered one of the leading driver distractions.
As a result, more and more communities are placing
restrictions on drivers' use of cell phones. The
following tips are offered to motorists in regards
to cell phone use in vehicles.
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You should wait
until the car trip is complete before placing a
call.
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Your cell
phone's voice mail feature should answer a call
while you are driving.
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Absolutely
essential calls should only be performed while
stopped.
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However, it is
not wise to pull over on the side of the road,
where a rear-end collision is possible. Instead,
you should pull into a parking lot to perform
this task.
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The phone
should be placed where it is easy to see and
reach.
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You should take
advantage of speed dialing capabilities.
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You should
never drive and talk on the cell phone during
stressful, emotional, or complex discussions
since the risk of an accident is heightened.
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You should
consider using a hands-free cellular phone since
some studies indicated that these are safer to
use.
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You should
never text message while driving.
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