Careers Wind Driver

The freedom of the roads – to go where we want, when we want – is something that Americans have cherished for decades. And although the constant evolution of our cars and road system has brought many safety improvements over the years, driving is in no way without danger. The hazards posed by distracted driving are among the most prevalent of these dangers, and yet also among the easiest to prevent. Taking simple measures, such as using hands-free systems for mobile phone use in the car, and ALWAYS avoiding texting while driving, could greatly reduce distracted driving accidents and save thousands of lives every year.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2008 more than 37,000 people lost their lives in auto accidents in the US and more than 2 million people were injured. And although there’s no way around the fact that as long as humans are behind the wheel, some number of accidents are inevitable, it’s also reasonable to assert that we, as drivers, can do better in the safety department. One of the easiest, biggest bang-for-the-buck changes we can make to our driving habits to improve safety and reduce accidents is simply to minimize distractions and do a better job of paying attention – keep our heads up, eyes on the road, and hands on the wheel. And one of the easiest distractions to eliminate is the one posed by another of our national passions: our mobile phones. The NHTSA reports that of all US traffic fatalities in 2008, 16% of them can be attributed to distracted driving. And of the many possible distractions a driver can face, manual manipulation of cellular phones is among the most dangerous.

Fiddling with our phones in the car causes us to take our eyes off the road. In fact, a Virginia Tech Transportation Institute study showed that text messaging while driving causes drivers, on average, to take their eyes off of the road for 4.6 seconds of each 6 second interval. In 4.6 seconds, at 55 mph, a car travels the distance of a football field. Imagine driving your car the length of a football field, on a busy road at 55 mph, with your eyes closed! Not surprisingly, this same study by VTTI found that texting while driving caused the risk of crash or near crash events to increase by more than 23%.

The consensus among experts is unanimous – texting, emailing, web browsing or any other physical manipulation of cellular phones while driving should be strictly banned. In order to drive safely, drivers’ attention must not be distracted from the roadway, and any such activity that causes a distraction should be avoided. In addition to texting and emailing, making or receiving phone calls without the use of a true hands-free system has also been found to be a distraction and should be avoided as well. A true hands-free system allows drivers to make and receive calls without having to look at the phone for more than a fleeting second and doesn’t require the driver to physically touch the phone. A typical hands-free system usually includes: A secure mount that holds the phone in a position that doesn’t cause the driver to look away from the road when glancing at the phone; voice activated answering and dialing software; and, a hands-free speaker/microphone or bluetooth headset.

Let’s face it, if we’re totally honest with ourselves we would likely all agree that shutting our phones off when we’re driving is the safest option for preventing distraction. But we also know that for a considerable number of drivers this simply is not going to happen. So for those who must stay connected while behind the wheel, the only safe option is to go hands-free… true hands-free. First, and most importantly, this means NEVER TEXTING WHILE DRIVING! As for making and receiving calls, mount your phone securely where you can glance at it to see who’s calling without having to look down or look away from the road; use voice activated software to place and answer calls; and, use a headset. Keep your head up, hands on the wheel and eyes on the road. Pay attention out there – it just might save a life!

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