5 Times You Shouldn't Use Your Phone While Driving
Have you ever considered the consequences of using your mobile phone while your drive? Did you know that texting and driving kill more people in Texas than drunk driving? Still, we insist on using our mobile phone despite the multiple laws that prohibit it. For many of us, our mobile phone feels like it is literally attached to our hand and we cannot imagine life without it. If you are irresistibly attached to your phone, here are a few things you should refrain from while driving.
Your Mobile GPS
All of our phones now come with a GPS installed, and if you have a phone from 2008, you can easily download a free GPS app to help you navigate to your destination. The GPS on the phone can be just as distracting as texting and driving. Before getting behind the wheel, you should to type in your address, and avoid changing courses due to heavy traffic or an accident in your route no matter what the app suggests. If the GPS causes you to look down at your phone, then it should not be an option. In order to avoid being liable for an accident, consider purchasing a phone mount for your vehicle to set your phone on while driving or plug in your phone to your speakers so you can hear the directions without having to look at a screen.
Calling a Friend
There are laws popping up all around Texan cities that prohibit using hand held devices in the car. Fortunately, many new cars come with Bluetooth connectivity available to help you refrain from having to hold your phone. If you have the convenience of Bluetooth, make sure the connection is set up and the signal recognizes your phone before you begin driving if you plan on using it. This will allow you to talk to your friends and family through your speakers without ever having to touch your phone. There is still a serious risk in talking and driving. It is best to avoid conversations that require your full attention. If you must, answer your calls for quick conversations or to let them know you will call them back when you have reached your destination.
Changing the Music
Many of us listen to music while we drive to elevate our mood or keep us calm. This is appropriate only if it doesn’t distract you. Try to choose a station or a playlist before you begin driving and stick to it to avoid spending too much time pressing buttons or scrolling through apps to find what you want to listen to next. Changing music will divert your eyes away from the road and may make you a target for causing an unforeseen accident.
Responding to a Text
Texting is arguably the most popular form of modern communication. We pride ourselves in how fast we can respond to text messages no matter where we are or what we are doing. Unfortunately, driving is one of the largest exceptions to this feeling of texting invincibility. Too many people ignore the PSAs and heart wrenching stories of teens who have passed too early due to texting and driving. It's a habit that we developed and must quickly break in order to avoid taking our lives or someone else’s. If you cannot resist the urge, turn your phone on silent and put it out of reach to avoid thinking about it or falling into the temptations.
Taking a Selfie
Snapchat is taking over our lives, one selfie at a time. It has allowed us to communicate to our friends about what we are doing every moment of the day, which can be a blessing and a curse. Although it is fun to film you and your friends dancing to a song on the radio, it is far more important that you both safely arrive at your destination. Avoid being held liable and reserve your selfie moments for later.
Even when you are stuck in traffic or at the longest red light you have ever experienced, refrain from using your phone and keep focused on the road as well as the drivers around you. No matter how great of a driver you feel you are, you must always look out for those less skilled or attentive, and being on your phone may cause you to make a move you otherwise would not have. If you have been involved in a car accident due to a mobile device, contact Colley & Colley law firm in Tyler, Texas for a free consultation.