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Using Phones - Texting While Driving - Page 5

Nosaj, I have been in two accidents (Neither bad, as both were at ~20mph or ~30kph) and both of them was because I was distracted. However neither distraction was my cell phone. In one, I looked down to change the radio and someone in front of me slammed on their brakes to turn somewhere they had almost missed. In the other I was getting a piece of gum out of my middle console and hit someone. Everything in the car can be a distraction. It only takes looking away for a second to get into an accident (Even at slow speeds), the problems only increase when you are going faster. Texting and driving is extremely dangerous because it both your speech centers and coordination centers to formulate a text (Speech for conversation and coordination to type on tiny phone screen), while driving needs your attention and coordination to be safe. Our brains can't handle two tasks at once and at best can switch quickly between them. This means that you aren't devoting 100% to driving and are more likely to get into an accident. Studies have shown that texting while driving is worse than sleepy driving which is worse than drunk driving which is worse than other distractions while driving. We really need a way to fix this, and I don't think bluetooth is the best answer. Signal jammers would be nice, but are illegal in the US unless you can have them only affect your property (Which is difficult in a car).

Driving Texting Phones Using

Alchyrogue, did you say you hit someone? I hope they weren't badly damaged and you don't let yourself become distracted anymore. I agree with Yankee, if you need to do something other than keep your eyes on the road then pull over.

Using Phones - Texting While Driving Reviews Consumer & Travel Family Culture

I may have said someone, but I meant another car, not a pedestrian. There was no damage to the other car in either case. My car was totaled in the first crash (Just a freak thing) and the driver faked whiplash in the second accident, but insurance settled with him. Otherwise no people were harmed. Sorry for the confusion.

Page 5 Driving Texting Phones Using

Alchyrogue, I agree with you that anything in the car can be a distraction. I Started driving before cell phones and never really heard much about distracted driving. I learned all my bad driving habits at age 20 and can tell you it is hard not to do some of those things though I am re-training my brain.

Almost two years ago my daughter, who at the time had only her learners permit, was driving on a main road doing the speed limit of 60 when she deiced to fiddle with the heater. She started to drift into the ditch, her boyfriend told her she was going into the ditch. She looked up saw where she was heading and over corrected rolling the car 3 times before taking out a light pole. These were very lucky in that they walked away with only minor burses. The accident would of never happened if she was not distracted with the heater.

I have since taken a look at tings that distract me and have tried to change them, thought I am by no means anywhere near the point I should be at.

Edited: Nosaj on 19th May, 2016 - 4:36pm

Driving Texting Phones Using

Good thing it didn't turn out worst for your daughter but I do hope she learned her lesson. Despite the warnings and possible implications I still see people fiddling with their mobiles all the time its really worrisome.

Using Phones - Texting While Driving

Typing while driving could be more safe with simple text entry technique

A combination of a head-up display and the keypad familiar to us from mobiles in the 2000s significantly improved the performance of drivers who were texting while driving. Ref. Source 7j.

Using Phones Texting Driving - Page 5

Lorry driver jailed over four-death crash

Lorry driver who killed mother and three children while using phone in crash in Oxfordshire jailed for 10 years Ref. BBC.

Using Phones Texting Driving Culture Family Travel & Consumer Reviews - Page 5

I always have handsfree when driving, but even then I have found that it is distracting talking while driving. When I have to text I always pull over. I am more careful when I ride my bike or moto, as I pull over even for a simple call.