Survey Highlights Distracted Driving Habits with Cell Phones
April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month and with the summer approaching and more cars on the road, State Farm is reminding drivers to put the phone down and keep your eyes up to avoid becoming a tragic statistic. The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that distracted driving claimed the lives of 3,522 in 2021.
A recent State Farm Survey indicated that nearly three quarters of drivers have ready access to their phone while driving. The State Farm Survey shows the following cell phone usage by drivers under the age of 50:
52% read or send text messages
43% interact with apps
32% watch videos
28% record videos
The percentage of cell phone usage is eye opening coupled with the fact that 43% of those distracted drivers tend to drive faster than others. In general, drivers who admitted to manually interacting with their cell phones while driving were nearly twice as likely to report being involved in at least one crash that occurred when they were distracted while driving.
Drivers should eliminate distractions in the car: eating, drinking, talking with passengers, diverting their attention to the radio, entertainment, or navigation systems, and using a cell phone to text, talk or lookup information.
Distracted driving is preventable, put the phone down and keep your eyes up and on the road. It could save your life and the life of a loved one. In addition, it reduces the chances of getting in a collision or even a ticket.
Passengers are encouraged to speak up and advocate for their own safety. Say something if you feel unsafe. Encourage friends and family to put their phones down and speak up as well.
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