Using your phone while driving might be legal if you don’t use your hands, but that doesn’t mean it’s actually safe. For many people, it’s the conversation that distracts them and not the physical phone. However, using a phone while driving has become quite a common habit on the road, and unfortunately, it claims thousands of lives each year.
Despite widespread laws making phone use illegal with limited exceptions, like calling the police or emergency services, many drivers continue to use their phones. If you’re someone who believes you can use your phone while driving, here are several reasons to get out of that habit immediately.
1. It only takes a moment for an accident to happen
While you’re driving familiar routes, things can seem a bit monotonous. You may get a little too comfortable driving down certain roads, thinking nothing ever happens so you don’t need to pay much attention – therefore, it’s okay to check your phone. However, accidents can happen in a split second and you can’t predict when they will happen.
You probably recall times when something happened in the road and you were able to avoid an obstacle or hazard just in time. If this type of situation occurs while you’re looking at your phone, you will likely end up causing an accident.
Your notifications can wait until you get to your destination. There isn’t anything happening on social media that you need to tend to while driving. Don’t reach for your phone. If you keep it on your passenger seat, leave it be. Even if it starts sliding off the seat, just let it go – if it’s protected by a good phone case, you have nothing to worry about.
2. The absence of accidents doesn’t mean it’s safe
You might be thinking that the dangers of using a phone while driving are overhyped since you haven’t had any problems. Maybe you regularly read text messages and check notifications and have never even had a close call. That doesn’t mean you’re not engaging in dangerous behavior – it just means you’re lucky.
It only takes a split-second for an accident to happen, and one of these days, the moment you look down at your phone will be the moment a pedestrian steps out in front of you, or the car in front of you slams on the brakes.
3. You might kill someone
Whether it’s yourself, your passenger, or a stranger in another vehicle, distracted driving kills thousands of people every year. In 2022, distracted driving killed 3.308 people, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Being responsible for the death of another person because you took a call or checked a social media notification would be an absolutely horrible experience.
4. Your car insurance rates will skyrocket
Typically, after an accident, car insurance rates go up because it makes you more of a liability. If you cause an accident because you’re distracted by your phone, your car insurance policy is likely to go sky-high. When you’re at fault, you can expect to pay about 45% more for the same policy. Considering policy rates have already risen drastically in the last five years, it won’t be cheap for you to drive a car.
5. The guilt will haunt you
You may not realize just how guilty you’ll feel after causing an accident that could have been prevented. Even if you only cause property damage, it’s going to shake you up quite a bit. However, if you hurt or kill someone, you can expect the guilt and shame to take a toll on your emotional well-being. This can have a profound impact on your relationships at home, at work, and in your social circle.
Don’t drive distracted – it’s not worth the risk
Choosing to use your phone while driving can have devastating consequences, including severe injury and even death to both yourself and others. It only takes a split-second of divided attention for an accident to happen. If you so much as glance down at your phone while someone brakes hard in front of you, you’re probably going to crash into that car. However, an accident caused by distracted driving can be even more severe.
When you consider the physical danger and threat to life, legal consequences, financial impact, and emotional toll, there is no justification for using your phone while driving. By being committed to driving without distractions, you’ll not only protect yourself, but your passengers and others on the road as well.