We all know that driving while talking on the phone is a risk, and that driving while texting is even riskier. The influence of technology has taken hold of many people when they get behind the wheel. In our previous blog about distracted driving we provided you with some alarming data from surveys conducted by the Consumer Reports National Research Center. After having explained the problem in our last article we are now going to present you with several different solutions.
A Virginia Tech Transportation Institute study revealed that physically dialing a phone while driving increases the risk of a crash as much as six times. Texting is riskier still, increasing the collision risk by 23 times. One recommendation to reduce the impact of distracted driving is that if you know someone is behind the wheel do not attempt to contact them unless it is an emergency (i.e. someone is bleeding, house is on fire, etc.). For those times when a phone call is necessary, several vehicle manufacturers have introduced features that allow for hands-free usage of phones as well as navigation systems.
An increase in the usage of phones can be seen when a driver is at a red light, stopped in traffic, driving alone, and while on a long drive. Another recommendation is that parents monitor their child’s daily phone usage to make sure they are not using it at an inappropriate time. Similarly, phone blocker applications have been developed in order for parents to restrict the cell-phone use of their kids and to record their driving behaviors. A few of these applications also have the ability to monitor the location of the cell-phone at all times.
What do you think about our recommendations? What ways do you suggest to reduce the amount of distracted driving? Let us know in our comments section.
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