Hang up and Drive! This Means You!

     We all know distracted driving is dangerous, but did you know it accounts for 80% of all accidents, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA.) They also report that distracted driving directly attributed to 5,500 fatalities every year. Is it really that important to change the radio station, check your teeth for spinach or read that LOL your BFF sent while you are driving? A responsible answer to this question is No, but judging by the infographic below, we may not follow through on our words:

The following suggestions on how to avoid distracted driving are from Autoguide.com:

• Before heading out, pick your radio station, choose your playlist, and turn on the air conditioning or heating.
  
  
• Make your phone calls or send text messages before leaving the driveway. A hands-free device is legal, but it's still best to focus all your attention on the road ahead. If you do need to make a call, pull over before dialing.
  
  
• Set your course on your GPS before you leave your driveway and familiarize yourself with the directions.
  
  
• Leave in plenty of extra time so you won't have to rush.
  
  
• If you're traveling with pet, keep them safely secured in the backseat where they won't be a dangerous distraction.
  
  
• Check to see if there are any loose items rolling around in the car and pick them up off the floor.
  
  
• Try to eat before you leave the house. If you spill something while driving, wait to clean it up until you reach your destination.
  
  
• Your rear view mirror is not to be used to help you apply makeup or to shave. Take care of your personal grooming before you leave home.

To reduce distracted driving, many parents are buying stick-shift vehicles for their teenagers. According to Danny Choy via Autoguide.com,

"While manual transmission vehicles have remained popular in Europe and Asia, its market in North America has shrunk to approximately 5.5 percent, a number likely made up of mostly driving enthusiasts. If the appreciation of manual transmission vehicles are rekindled within younger drivers, then not only would more Americans pay attention when they are driving, but perhaps the joy of driving might be rediscovered as well."

In an effort to encourage safer driving habits, AAA Insurance has offered the following pledge:

"I pledge to drive distraction-free, with the goal to permanently reduce my distracted driving habits.
I will spread the word about driving distraction-free among my family and friends encouraging them to resist distracting behaviors while driving."

I'm going to post this on my dashboard for the safety of my daughter, other drivers on the road, and for myself. Will you?

Sources:

AAA Foundation: http://www.aaafoundation.org/multimedia/pledge.cfm