The Auto Channel
The Largest Independent Automotive Research Resource
The Largest Independent Automotive Research Resource
Official Website of the New Car Buyer

5 Things You Can Do to Reduce the Risk of Distracted Driving


don't text and drive

ITASCA, IL -- April 29, 2015: Car crashes kill 100 people every day in the United States with about nine out of 10 of all crashes caused by driver error, not faulty brakes or environmental factors like rain or snow. One in four car crashes involve cell phone use, as estimated by the National Safety Council. That creates a clear and present danger to public safety because talking while driving takes the brain's attention away from the road.

Talking on a handheld or hands-free cell phone is a high-risk activity that has joined the ranks of alcohol and speeding as a leading crash factor – all of which are preventable.

Five simple actions issued by the National Safety Council can help to reduce your risk and keep passengers and others on the road safe:

Avoid using hands-free devices while driving.

Don't use your dashboard Infotainment system for tasks such as hands-free calls. They are unrelated to driving.

Change your voicemail message to tell people that you may be driving and will call them back when you can safely do so.

Set special ring tones for important incoming calls, and pull off to a safe place to take them

Ask a passenger to answer incoming calls and say "You'll call back when not driving"

Share with others this educational motion Infographic [Infographic] and video [Education Video].

Check out nsc.org for more tips and actions you can take to stay safe at work, on the roads, and in homes and communities.