Texting While Driving: Don’t Do It

At Multi-Specialty HealthCare (MSHC), we treat many patients who were injured in car accidents, many of which could have been prevented. One of the most easily preventable causes of accidents and injury is texting while driving.

We’ve heard the warning slogans:

• Stop the texts. Stop the wrecks.
• It Can Wait.
• One Text or Call Could Wreck it All

We know the facts:

• A texting driver is 23 times more likely to get into an accident than a non-texting driver (Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, 2009).
• Text messaging while driving is banned in 39 states and the District of Columbia (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety).
• In 2010, “drivers distracted by a cell phone” was the cause of 18 percent of all fatal crashes (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration).

But yet, we all still do it. Texting while driving. What is it going to take for us to put away our phones while driving? Hopefully, not a fatal accident.

The easiest way to increase your safety while on the road is to PUT YOUR PHONE DOWN. Here are some additional tips:

• Out of sight, out of mind — Put your phone somewhere out of your sight — in your bag, in the glove compartment, or in the trunk, if you have to.
• Not even when stopped – Resist the temptation to pick up your phone while at a stop light or waiting for a train. If you start texting when you’re temporarily stopped, you’ll be more likely to continue to text when back in motion. Wait until you’ve parked the car before you send that “lol” message.
• There’s an app for that – SafeTexting® for iPhone uses cell tower change events to detect you are driving and displays a reminder not to text and drive.
• Speak out – If you’re a passenger and the driver picks up the phone, ask them to stop. If they feel they need to get a message to someone right away, offer to do it for them. It could be your life you are saving.
• Are they on the road? Don’t text them. – If you know your family member or friend is on route driving somewhere, wait until you think they’ve arrived at their destination before you send them a text.

If you follow the tips above, you’ll be doing a lot to avoid an accident. Hopefully, you’ll never be in one, but if the unfortunate happens and you are injured in an accident, please know that the skilled team of healthcare professionals at Multi-Specialty HealthCare can help. Call us today at 1-888-334-4199.