3 things you can do right now to stop distracted driving
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3 things you can do right now to stop distracted driving

The good people of Webster recently announced their Word of the Year for 2009 and it was Distracted Driving. I know, 2 words actually, but you’re going to argue with Webster.

Distracted driving has become an epidemic in the US, causing nearly 6,000 car accident-related deaths last year. And that number is probably low because many states still don’t note whether cell phones were part of the cause of an accident.

The truth is that cell phones are without a doubt the biggest distraction we have in our cars today. According to the Automobile Association of America, 1 in 2 drivers has been hit or nearly hit by a driver who is talking or texting on the phone.

Did you realize that talking on the phone while driving hurts you as much, if not more, than drunk driving? The research is out there and it has been proven over and over again. And sorry folks who use Bluetooth headsets, research shows that hands-free devices are just as dangerous.

If you don’t believe the researchers, you might believe Mythbusters episode 33: Cell Phones vs. Drive drunk. Verdict? CONFIRMED!! Actually, talking on the cell phone is worse.

We all know that texting while driving is beyond irresponsible and incredibly dangerous, but every day we see it happening on our streets. A police officer stopped by the other day and told a story of seeing people knitting while driving. “10 years ago,” he said, “we knew the driver had been drinking. Now, we know they’re texting.” Sobering, isn’t it?

An average text message takes 5 seconds, so send it, close your eyes, and count to 5. Now, would you close your eyes for 5 seconds the next time you’re driving down I-95 or Boston Post Road? Of course not, but that’s basically what you’re doing if you’re DWT (driving while texting).

There are laws governing cell phone use and texting in New York, but they’re clearly not working. The government has started public service announcements and has even launched a website: distraction.gov – to combat the problem. AT&T has launched an Anti-Texting and Driving campaign with heartbreaking PSAs.

Utah has instituted a mandatory 90-day jail sentence for drivers caught texting while driving because authorities believe it is as deliberate an act as drunk driving.

But at the end of the day, it’s really up to us as individuals to decide if we’re going to make our roads safer by putting away our cell phones while driving.

I know it will be difficult: we are like Pavlov’s dogs when we hear that little squeak or feel the vibration of our phone. We need to be connected 24/7 and we can’t wait more than 20 seconds to read the new text. message.

So here are a couple of suggestions to help you try to break your Crackberry habit.

First: put your phone out of reach while driving. Simple, I know, but if you can’t reach it, the temptation won’t be that great.

Second: I know you need to be available to your kids and spouse, so have your teens (or third graders) set specific ringtones for people you need to talk to on a regular basis. Kids will love it, especially if you let them download their favorite songs. Trust me, it’s worth the $5.00 you’ll spend on ringtones. Then, when you’re driving and they need to reach you, you’ll hear the special ringtone and be able to stop and talk safely.

Finally, if you are not self-controlled, there is hope for you. With crisis comes opportunity, and there are apps for your phone that detect (via GPS) when your phone is moving over 10 mph and block incoming calls and texts. Callers go straight to voicemail and texters get an automated reply that tells them you’re driving and will respond when you arrive safely at your destination. My favorite so far is safer zoom (it’s on my Blackberry), but just google “text blocking software” and you’ll find several options.

Listen, it’s not going to be easy to break this habit for any of us, but stop for a moment and remember…driving safely isn’t easy. It requires focus and concentration, and you can’t focus when you’re talking or texting. So please put your phone and controller down safely.

I hope Distraction-Free Driving is Webster’s Word of the Year for 2010…distraction-free is a word, right?

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