5 FACTS about DISTRACTED driving that could save your life

It’s common to see fellow motorists using their mobile phone while driving. In South Africa it’s illegal to use a smartphone while driving a vehicle as reduces one’s reaction time and impairs judgment. Here are 5 facts about distracted driving you should know that could save your life.

There are several rules that can be adhered to to avoid being distracted by your mobile phone:

Drivers should allow calls to go unanswered while driving.

If you need to answer your phone, rather pull over in the event of an emergency phone call.

Try to contact friends and family after arriving at a destination to inform them you’re safe.

To avoid using Google Maps or fiddling with the satellite navigation system, obtain directions or look at a map before starting the car.

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HERE ARE 5 FACTS ABOUT DISTRACTED DRIVING YOU SHOULD KNOW

The team at MasterDrive have collated five facts about distracted driving that give you insight into how dangerous it is.

1 Did you know?

On average, according to a Forbes Advisory in the USA, drivers spend approximately 1.38 minutes on their phone, for every hour of driving. It takes 30 to 60 days to break a habit – challenge yourself to not touch your phone while driving so that the habit is gone by February.

2 Did you know?

According to the same Advisory, the majority of distracted driving occurs between 18:00 and 23:00 while the least distracted driving happens between 06:00 and 09:00. The truth is, it is never safe to use your phone and drive, whatever the time of day.

3 Did you know?

In 2020, figures in the USA showed that 3 142 people died because of distracted driving. The modern car is generally equipped with an array of hands free features which may still cause drivers’ focus to shift.

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4 Did you know?

Data from the USA says approximately 12% of all car accidents happens as a result of cellphone use while driving. While many people will never even consider risky driving behaviours, they do still use phones and drive which is just as, if not more, dangerous than those the risky behaviours.

5 Did you know?

A driver being distracted for a few seconds, removes the time they have for evasive action to avoid a collision. The Forbes Advisor says in general, human reaction time is .75 of a second while the general mechanical reaction time is an additional .75 of a second, taking it a total of 1.5 seconds to react to road hazards.

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