8 Methods to Kick Your Texting and Driving Behavior

Each driver ‒ and each passenger ‒ expects to succeed in their vacation spot safely.

However choosing up your telephone to learn or reply a textual content when you’re behind the wheel places everybody’s security in jeopardy.

At any level throughout the day, it’s estimated that round 660,000 drivers are on their telephones. Within the U.S., texting and driving causes 1 / 4 of all automotive accidents. And teenage drivers are 4 occasions extra seemingly than adults to have accidents or near-accidents once they’re on their telephones.

Need one other eye-opener? You’re six occasions extra prone to trigger an accident whenever you’re texting behind the wheel than a drunk driver!

The silver lining? This can be a behavior that may simply be damaged.

Listed below are eight ideas that may aid you ‒ or a driver you care about ‒ overcome the temptation as soon as for all, whereas doing all your half to maintain the roadways so much safer.

8 Tricks to Cease Texting and Driving

1. Bear in mind: Silence is golden. Earlier than you begin the ignition, put your telephone on silent mode and ensure it’s not on vibrate. An alternative choice: flip your telephone off altogether. Each choices will remove the temptation to test your display screen each time it rings, pings or buzzes.
2. Dangle up your “don’t disturb” signal. Nicely, figuratively anyway. On most smartphones, you might have the choice to activate some type of a don’t disturb mode when you’re driving. Do your analysis to learn the way to allow this in your telephone. There are even apps you possibly can obtain to dam texts when you’re behind the wheel, together with ones particularly geared towards teen drivers.
3. Make it out of sight, out of thoughts. Relatively than having your telephone in your cup holder, your middle console, or (cringe) your hand, put it in a spot the place you possibly can’t see or attain it.
4. Ask for assist. In case you have a passenger or two with you, ask them to keep watch over your telephone and deal with any calls or messages you obtain. If you happen to’re a passenger fairly than a driver, volunteer for the job ‒ and name out the driving force in the event that they’re being unsafe.
5. Put it in park. If it’s completely very important to answer a message, discover a place to soundly pull over, then park and reply.
6. Mannequin protected habits. Speak to your children concerning the risks of texting and driving, clarify the methods they will keep away from it, then put your cash the place your mouth is.
7. Set and implement guidelines. In case you have a teen driver in the home, make your expectations clear about how they’re allowed to make use of their telephone within the automobile and be very particular about what is going to occur in the event that they break these guidelines. If you happen to catch your teen doing it, implement these penalties ‒ each time.
8. Enroll in our new YourTurn® program.¹ Want an additional incentive? Our driving security app, YourTurn, is on the market to ERIE prospects. The app measures standards reminiscent of dashing, arduous braking and telephone utilization – and you’ll earn rewards based mostly in your driving rating (as much as $5 or $10 each two weeks)². This helps to make drivers of all ages extra conscious of their driving behaviors and identifies areas for enchancment.

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It’s Your Flip to Make Protected Driving a Precedence

ERIE’s YourTurn program is a brand new method we’re searching for you and serving to you keep protected on the street. Contact your native ERIE agent right now to be taught extra or to join the YourTurn program.³ If you happen to select to hitch this system, you’ll obtain a YourTurn welcome textual content and directions for getting began.

YourTurn is at present not obtainable within the District of Columbia, Kentucky, North Carolina and New York.

¹YourTurn not obtainable in all states. As of 03/2021, program obtainable to policyholders in IL, IN, MD, OH, PA, TN, VA, WI, and WV.

²Ages 16-23 can earn rewards as much as $10 each two weeks, ages 24+ can earn rewards as much as $5 each two weeks. Rewards are based mostly on the collaborating driver’s rating throughout the scoring interval whereas driving 50 tracked miles. Indiana members can earn as much as $5 each two weeks. Rewards are distributed by the YourTurn app through digital present playing cards.

³The YourTurn app requires members to be a licensed driver on the ERIE auto coverage and have a sound electronic mail deal with, smartphone quantity and knowledge plan to obtain and activate the YourTurn app. Customers should comply with the Phrases and Situations of the YourTurn® app.