New Year’s Resolution: Put That Cell Phone Down While You Drive

Does the following scenario sound familiar? You’re driving when you hear the message alert on your cell phone. You glance down to see who it’s from, and even though it only takes a second, when you look up you find that you’ve started to swerve into the opposite lane. You quickly adjust the steering wheel and veer back over, barely avoiding a collision. While you may have dodged an accident this time, things don’t always turn out this well.

I’ve already shared one New Year’s resolution with you – don’t drink and drive. Here’s another you can make: don’t text and drive. Congested highways, winter weather, and drunk drivers already make driving dangerous enough. The last thing any of our roads need is another potential hazard. I’d like to ask everyone to keep your phone in your pocket or purse while you drive, not in your hands.

Every year there are about 6,000 deaths and a half a million injuries caused by distracted drivers. These distractions can range from eating to putting on makeup while driving. But experts all agree that texting while driving is by far the most dangerous distraction when behind the wheel. There have even been studies done that claim texting while driving is significantly more dangerous than drunk driving.

This New Year’s you can help make the roads safer by signing our Don’t Text and Drive Pledge. Sign the pledge and you’ll be entered to win prizes. It only takes one distracted driver to cause an accident – don’t let that person be you.