Distracted driving is one of the leading causes of car accidents in the US. Statistics also indicate that increased Smartphone ownership has resulted in this becoming a more significant problem than it already was.
It’s very important that you always pay attention to the road when operating a motor vehicle. These tips will help you do so:
You might not feel comfortable shutting your phone off while driving. Although this is probably the safest way to guard against distractions, like most people, you might keep your phone on virtually all of the time without a second thought.
However, there are other steps you can take to ensure alerts from your phone don’t prevent you from paying attention to your surroundings while operating a motor vehicle. You can download apps that ensure your phone will not notify or alert you in any way while you’re behind the wheel.
Strongly consider downloading and using one. Although you might tell yourself you’re a responsible individual who can wait to pull over before checking their phone when they hear it ring or feel it buzz while driving, it’s best to err on the side of caution and eliminate all possible phone-related distractions if you’re on the road.
This is a very important entry on this list. For many, eating food and consuming beverages while driving is such a commonplace activity that they would never consider it to be a distraction.
Don’t make this mistake. There are many ways that eating and drinking while driving can significantly increase your chances of being harmed or even killed in an auto accident.
Maybe you take a sip of your morning coffee and find it’s much hotter than expected. This seemingly “minor” surprise could prevent you from focusing on the road, causing you to be involved in an otherwise avoidable collision.
Or, perhaps you’re chewing on some food when you hit an unseen bump or pothole. The food shifts position in your mouth when this occurs, and you begin to choke as a result. This is another scenario in which you will suddenly be at a much greater risk of being involved in an accident.
Even simply peering down into a bag of fast food for a moment to find an item you’re looking for can distract you for a long enough time to increase your odds of being harmed. If you’re hungry while driving, wait until you can find a place to eat safely.
This simple “hack” indicates how smartphones and other such electronic devices can potentially boost your safety behind the wheel if you use such devices correctly.
Are you the type of driver who needs to hear the right music or the perfect podcast to fully enjoy your trip? If so, before getting in the car, create a playlist ahead of time on one of your devices, connect the device to your car’s audio system, and play it back while driving. This will prevent you from fiddling with the radio knobs whenever the song or program that’s playing isn’t to your liking.
Tips such as these will boost your safety on the road. That said, you can’t exercise much control over the decisions others make while driving.
Have you been injured in an accident with a driver who probably wasn’t paying attention to their surroundings? If so, our Philadelphia distracted driving accident attorneys at Soloff & Zervanos can help you pursue any compensation for which you may be eligible. Learn more about what we can do for you by contacting us online or calling us at 215-929-7216.