Dangers of Texting and Driving


1 out of 4 car accidents are caused by texting and driving
 
Before the smartphone, drunk driving accidents were the leading cause of death among teenagers and young adults. In recent years, an average of 2,700 teenagers were killed as a result of drunk driving. What is more scary is that in recent years, over 3,000 teenagers and young adults die each year from distracted driving. That is roughly eight people every day.

      It isn’t just teenagers who are the ones texting. According to a survey conducted by AT&T, 49% of American adult drivers admitted they text and drive and 90% of those admit it’s dangerous. So why do we do it? Some say it’s because we are addicted to our phones, experts say the alerts on our phones send a signal to the brain that makes us feel happy. Either way, we have to stop this epidemic. Here are some of my suggestions:

  • Turn off your phone or throw it in the back seat
  • Put phone on "do not disturb"
  • Have a passenger be in charge of directions. If you are driving alone, mount your phone of the dashboard
  • If you are a passenger, try not to use your phone. It will tempt the driver to use theirs
  • Send of the texts, make all the calls and program the GPS before you start driving
  • Connect your phone to the car's Bluetooth so you can talk hands free
  • Some new cars can receive text messages through the Bluetooth radio as well. If you are a big texter with some money, this car could literally be a lifesaver
  • If you must send a text or make a call, pull over to the side of the road safely


Please be apart of the #ItCanWait campaign. Whenever you think about grabbing your phone while driving, think about whether it’s worth the risk of death. That answer will always be “no”. It can wait.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Hall of Claims: Top 10

Image
So Farmers Insurance is sort of known for covering bizarre situations. We put said situations in "The Hall of Claims". I have shared a lot of incidents on my social media accounts but now I will rank the top 10 claims Farmers has ever covered. 10) Hot Dog A Farmer's customer left their left-over pizza sitting on the stove when only the dog was home. The pizza-loving pup jumped up and grabbed the slice. In the process, the dog turned the stove on, setting the house on fire. I know what you're wondering and no the dog did not get hurt but the house did. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JW37_wlsWFg&index=9&list=PLSWG7qKWrCQ08YeZrOaJA5p9xy8VrFNio 9) Swan Dive Imagine laying out by your pool, taking in the sun when suddenly a car crashed through your fence and lands in your pool. This is what happened to a Farmers customer in 2012. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wO_SABDCCu8&list=PLSWG7qKWrCQ08YeZrOaJA5p9xy8VrFNio&index=17 8) Swing Set ...
Read more

How To Install a Home Alarm System

Image
      Don't quite feel safe enough in your own home? Well, there are many ways to fix that. One of them is installing your own home alarm system. This sounds like a complicated process but it is actually something you can do on your own! Follow these simple steps:       1)       Install the Wireless Home Security Panel        Chose a spot near your main entry door that is close to a power source to install the panel. The only tools you need are a hammer and a nail. If you don't feel like putting holes in your wall, you can use an adhesive to make it stick to the wall.       2)      Place Sensors Throughout Your Home       Your system will come with standard door and window sensors that can detect motion. Most are sticky enough to place on walls and windows and you can move them as you please. Make sure you pl...
Read more