Cell Phone Safety
Drive safer when talking on your cell phone.
We know, we know — you're going to talk on your cell phone while you're driving. So what can you do to make it safer?
Don't text.
Texting while driving takes both your eyes off the road and your hands off the wheel. The best practice is not to do it. Don't believe us? Here are a few texting while driving statistics that might convince you.
Know your phone.
Features like speed dial or voice activation can make it easier to call someone without having to use the keypad, which is hard to do when you're trying to watch the road.
Know the law.
Some cities actually have laws against talking on your cell while driving. Find out if you live near one of those cities — you might actually get a ticket if they catch you!
Dial at red lights.
If you have to dial, wait until you're at a red light or stop sign. If you have to dial while you're moving, do it a couple numbers at a time and look up to check your mirrors and the road.
Get a headset.
Not only is it harder to handle the steering wheel when one hand is holding the phone, but it can also give you a huge cramp in your shoulder. Headsets are cheap and make you look important.
Keep your phone where you can reach it.
Lost in the deep recesses of your gym bag or purse is not the best place for it. Because we all know it's nearly impossible to ignore a ringing phone, avoid having to dig for it.
Don't drive angry.
Avoid having stressful conversations while you're behind the wheel. If that's the time your sister chooses to yell at you about taking her stuff, ask if you can talk about it when you get home.
Don't write down numbers.
If someone needs to give you a number, ask them to call you back and leave it on your voicemail. Unless you have three hands and can talk, drive and write at the same time.
Ice + Snow + Driving + Cell Phones = Good news
and bad news
The good news is, you can let people know you'll be late and call for help if you or someone else needs it. The bad news is, you might find it even harder to drive if you talk on your cell while driving in bad conditions. Try to keep it short.
