It’s no secret that texting while driving is a serious safety hazard. Despite this, many drivers continue to text behind the wheel, putting themselves, their passengers and other drivers on the road in danger. To help drivers understand the risks associated with texting and driving and how they can protect themselves against these dangers, this article will look at some of the common consequences of texting while driving.
Why Texting While Driving is Dangerous
Texting while driving has been proven to dramatically increase the risk of an accident occurring. According to research conducted by The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), sending or reading a text message takes your eyes off the road for an average of five seconds -long enough to travel across an entire football field if you’re going 55 mph. In addition to this, studies have also shown that reaction time when texting is significantly worse than when sober or under normal circumstances – meaning that even if you manage to look up from your phone in time, you may not be able to react quickly enough to avoid a collision.
Oregon Has Severe Legal Consequences for Texting While Driving
In addition to endangering yourself and those around you, there are also legal ramifications associated with texting while driving. Depending on where you live, it may be illegal to text while operating a vehicle – whether it’s stopped at a light or not – with punishments ranging from fines up to jail time in more extreme cases. In 2017, the Oregon legislative session passed a law to strengthen the state's distracted driving regulations by addressing a significant loophole and escalating fines. The new law imposes fines of up to $1,000 for first-time offenses that do not lead to a crash, while second-time offenses or offenses that contribute to a crash may incur fines of up to $2,000.
Protect Yourself From The Dangers Of Texting And Driving Fortunately there are several steps drivers can take in order to protect themselves from these dangers:
- Turn off notifications when your car is moving: Turning off notifications on your phone can help limit distractions by preventing messages from appearing on screen when you’re behind the wheel;
- Put away any electronics before getting into the car: If possible try not bring any electronic devices into the car with you so that there won't be any temptation;
- Let someone else drive: If possible let someone else do all of the driving for trips where texting might be necessary;
- Pull over before sending messages: If necessary pull over somewhere safe before sending out messages;
- Take advantage of voice-activated technology: Many phones now come equipped with voice-activated technology which allows users type out texts without having their hands leave the steering wheel;
- Be aware of local laws before traveling abroad: Different countries have different laws regarding cell phone use behind the wheel so make sure you familiarize yourself with them before traveling abroad;
- Invest in a hands-free device: Hands-free devices allow users talk without having their hands leave their steering wheels but should still only be used if absolutely necessary as they can still cause distractions due too conversations taking place during drives.
Texting while driving leads to too many Oregon automobile accidents and injuries
Texting while driving is one of today's most dangerous activities due its potential for causing serious injury or death as well as its legal consequences. To protect yourself from these risks it's important for drivers take steps like turning off notifications when their cars are moving and investing in hands-free devices so that they don't put themselves or those around them at risk..
