Think, before you dial, before you drive

THOUSANDS of people die every year in crashes related to distracted driving.

Cellphones have become an integral part of our lives, so much so that we can barely imagine a disconnected existence without them.

Drivers assume they can handle texting while driving and remain safe, but the numbers don’t lie. There is not yet conclusive statistics in South Africa, but in the USA texting while driving causes 1,600,000 accidents per year (National Safety Council) and nearly 25% of all car accidents.

Texting while driving is about 6 times more likely to cause an accident than driving intoxicated and it is the number one driving distraction reported by teen drivers. Sending a  message while driving makes you 23 times more likely to crash as it slows your brake reaction speed by 18%.

‘We have seen several high profile court cases overseas where drivers have been jailed for dangerous driving as a result of phoning or texting, and hope that this attitude of no tolerance for the same will be adopted in South Africa,’ said Gary Ronald, Head of Public Affairs at the AA.

‘While it would be unrealistic to ban phone use in the car, we need to ensure that South Africans are aware of the dangers and repercussions of reckless phoning while driving,’ he concludes.

There are solutions, and having a good hands free system that is used for short message calls is advisable; having a long winded chat that may distract you, however, is not.

The US Department of Transport is using shock tactics to highlight the dangers of texting and driving.

This advert, which has caused a stir on social media, ends with the tagline: “U Drive. U Text. U Pay.”

(Warning: Not for sensitive viewers)

https://youtu.be/S_-6EoNhitg