Amy & Aron's

Road safety is a priority when driving. Unfortunately, not all drivers seem to be as keen as other drivers are in following road rules and ensuring safety while driving. The most notorious of these drivers are the ones who drive while being distracted, particularly with their phones.


Over 1.5 million traffic accidents in the United States are caused by phone use while driving. Using your phone while driving fulfills three types of distractions. One, it takes your eyes on the road. Two, it keeps your hands off the steering wheel. And three, it takes away your focus on driving. These three combined can be fatal when driving.


Sure, taking five seconds to reply to a text while driving doesn’t seem like a big deal, but it takes less than five seconds (or approximately three seconds) of distraction for a car crash to occur. This is exactly what happened to a 19-year-old student in 2009 when she tried to send a single-letter reply—“k”— to a text from her sister. In just a few seconds, the truck she was driving overturned and sent her crashing into a ditch. She was rushed to a hospital but died a few days later.


Although there isn’t accurate data on how many drivers text and drive every day (since no driver would self-report), authorities know that it is happening daily. State governments have passed several traffic laws to make the roads safer. In the District of Columbia, California, and Puerto Rico, drivers are banned from the use of handheld cell phones. Despite the laws, many accidents due to texting and driving still occur every year.


Ensuring road safety is not just the government’s responsibility. Drivers must practice defensive driving and actively keep themselves from danger, which means educating themselves on road safety. This detailed infographic outlines the dangers of distracted driving and provides helpful advice on keeping yourself safe on the road.