How to Prevent Distracted Driving

Busy woman is in a hurry, she does not have time, she is going to worck on the go. Worker is drinking hot coffee, writing in a notebook and talking on the phone at the same time. Business female person. She multitasking while using on the phone and driving a car

Distracted driving has rapidly become one of the biggest dangers on California roadways. Texting while driving is on the rise, and it rivals drunk and drowsy driving as one of the leading causes of car crashes and traffic fatalities. Even though texting while driving is illegal, it remains a pervasive and growing problem in California. There are steps you can take to prevent a distracted driving accident. Read on for tips on how to avoid distracted driving, and contact a dedicated Arcadia personal injury lawyer if you’ve been injured by a distracted or otherwise negligent driver in Los Angeles or the Inland Empire.

Take care of business before you get on the road

If you need to eat, shave, do your makeup, or send an email or text, plan and give yourself an extra five minutes before getting on the road. Take care of any important tasks before you start driving rather than trying to multitask. Taking your eyes, hands, or attention off the road to perform any of these tasks can easily lead to a crash.

Put your phone on silent or auto-respond while driving

Modern smartphones have settings that allow you to avoid being disturbed while you sleep or drive. You can turn on “do not disturb” mode while driving so that you avoid the temptation to return a text or call. Many phones also allow you to turn on an auto-response that will say something to the effect of: “I am unable to respond to your text at the moment because I am driving. I will get back to you as soon as I can.”

If something important comes up, pull over

If you get an important phone call, text, or email while driving, you do not need to answer while you are still on the road. Find a safe space to pull over and check your phone at a gas station, rest stop, or the side of the road where safe and necessary. Getting off the road is always safer than trying to answer while driving.

Tell your employer you are unavailable

Responding to work calls or emails while on the road is just as dangerous as handling personal matters. Let your boss know you are unavailable while driving and that you will respond when it is safe to do so.

Avoid being a distraction

You can help prevent accidents involving other people by not being a distraction for them. If you know a friend, family member, or colleague is driving, do not call, email, or text them.

Plan your route ahead of time

Don’t wait until you are already on the road to plug your destination into your navigation system. Type it in before you get on the road, or ask a passenger to do it. If your destination changes, pull over and enter your new destination while parked.

If you’ve been hurt by a negligent driver in Southern California and need help recovering the money damages you deserve for your injuries, contact the dedicated and effective Arcadia car accident lawyers at the Law Offices of Dulio R. Chavez II and Associates for a free consultation at 626-357-3303.

By Dulio R. Chavez, II | Posted on February 28, 2020