Car Insurance Rates And Distracted Driving Laws
Distracted driving habits are becoming on a level with drunk driving. Across the country, states are redefining traffic laws to cover the problems inattentive motorists create. Also, car insurance rates are going up to cover the increased accident claims distracted drivers produce. Driving under the influence has for years been the major reason for serious accidents. Distracted drivers are fast assuming that position.
The root cause of distracted driving is anything that takes a driver's attention off the road. That includes using cell phones, applying make-up, eating a snack, reading printed material and changing radio stations. It can also be attributed to something as esoteric as plunging yourself into deep thinking. Ever wind up at a familiar destination and feel puzzled because you don't remember the actual process of getting there? That's another form of distracted motoring, and it's just as dangerous as any other kind. Don't let familiarity lull you into absent-minded driving.
Cell phone use is a major contributor to distracted driving. Driving statistics prove that people using cell phones have a better than 30 percent chance of causing a collision. The obvious conclusion to that statistic is that with more and more drivers using cell phones, you have to be very alert when on the road. Give cell phone drivers plenty of room. That also goes with any situation you might observe that indicates a lack of attention by other drivers. Staying clear of potential problems can protect your car and perhaps save your life. It will also maintain your good driving record. That's key to keeping your car insurance rates at an acceptable level.
While it's impossible to dictate how other motorists should drive, there are some things you can do to upgrade your own driving habits. Don't eat or drink. Spilling hot coffee into your lap constitutes a minor emergency that takes attention off the road. Make yourself look beautiful before getting behind the wheel. Applying makeup or brushing your hair has no place on the highway. Avoid jotting down memos while driving. Stay off the phone. If you have to take a call or acknowledge a text, pull off the road. If that isn't possible, your answering service will collect the messages and you can listen later.
The numbers involving how far a car travels in a given time frame can be a little intimidating. Three to five seconds at 55 miles per hour covers upward of 400 feet. That's quite a distance to be unaware of what's coming up on the road. Let nothing interfere with your concentration when driving. It's the safe way to go.
