Using of social media while driving

The problem of looking at Social Media will Driving

There is something that many new drivers do multiple times a day that can be over three times more dangerous than driving while intoxicated. It may not come as a surprise that social media is the culprit of such risky behaviour. Using social media while driving is the newest deadly trend that is swerving into our path.

The rise in popularity of Pokemon Go, Snapchat, Instagram and other social media apps on smartphones increases the chances of being distracted while behind the wheel of a vehicle. Looking down for “just a sec” could be enough to cause a crash—deadly at times.

When cell phones first rose to popularity, people spent a lot of time talking on the phone while driving. Cell phones are now smartphones, and talking while driving turned into texting while driving and further evolved into something increasingly more dangerous, using social media while driving.

Using social media while driving can be three times more dangerous than drinking and driving. According to research conducted by the Transport Research Laboratory and the Institute of Advanced Motorist, the reaction time of a driver is slowed by 38% while using their smartphone, as opposed to the 12% of someone who has been drinking.

The Problem with talking on your phone we’ll driving.

Most people love talking to other people. They like keeping in touch, gossiping about the latest celebrities, and learning about the latest updates from work.  Driving while talking on a cell phone not only takes your concentration away from the road, it also takes your eyes away from the road.

Why is talking on a phone while driving so dangerous?

Using a hand held device takes your hands off the wheel where they belong.

Changes in road conditions or the actions (or inactions, as the case may be) of other drivers means that in order to be truly safe on the road you need to have both hands on the wheel as much as possible. Even the split second it would take to drop the phone and grab the steering wheel could mean the difference between life and death.

Setting up a call on a phone takes your eyes off the road.

For most people with most cell phones, you have to look over the number you want to call, or look at the number or name of an incoming call. Although many phones have the option for hands-free dialing, many do not, or many drivers simply do not use them. Your eyes belong on the road, not looking down at a little screen to see who is calling you.

Talking on a cell phone takes your mind off the road.

Perhaps this is the most controversial aspect of cell phone use by motorists. Even though many states only let people talk on cell phones if they are using a hands-free device, more and more studies are coming out that even these devices do not prevent accidents to a significant degree. The thought is that when someone talks to someone else over a cell phone, their mind becomes disjointed from the task at hand (driving) and instead becomes localized to the conversation they are having.