Safety Tips to Avoid Texting while Driving

There is a growing awareness of the dangers of texting while driving, but that has not done much to dissuade drivers from indulging. Everyone seems to know it’s dangerous, but few people seem to think it’s dangerous when they do it.


Safe driving tips

Make a habit of thinking about what calls or texts you need to send before you begin your trip. Before you start the car, take a moment to think about what information you might need during the trip. For instance, program your GPS at the outset, rather than fiddling with it during the drive. Make that call to ask your mom a question before you’re on the road. Text your friend that vital piece of gossip, then put away the phone.

Stow your phone somewhere you can’t peek at it. Try putting it in the glove compartment (lock it if you must) or inside a purse in the back seat.
Silence notifications that tempt you to check your phone.

Investigate apps that will help boost your willpower. There are several types of apps on the market, some of them free, that allow you to block incoming messages or send automatic responses to let your friends know you’re driving.

Practice patience. Consider whether it’s worth risking your safety—and that of others in your car and on the road—to read a text while driving. Then wait until you’ve reached your destination.
If you absolutely cannot wait, pull over when you can do so safely. Swerving to the side of a busy highway is never a good option, of course. If you are driving on a road with safe places to pull over, use them to stop and text..

source: Liz Soltan