Okay, I already posted on this already, but I just heard some statistics on the radio (I forget the name of the agency behind the study – I was driving at the time and couldn’t write it down) that a driver’s risk of having an accident while talking on the cell phone is 4 times higher than when not talking on the cell. The increased accident risk is the equivalent of driving with a blood alcohol content of .08%, which is considered legally intoxicated in all states.
So, the next time you are about to talk on the cell phone while driving, ask yourself, “Is this really necessary?” If it’s urgent, consider pulling into a gas station to make that call. Fighting the urge to talk on the cell while driving is a strong one – I struggle with it too! We are a busy society and live in an “on-the-go” culture. Talking on the cell while driving can alleviate boredom and kill two birds with one stone, if you pardon the expression. You might be tempted to talk on the cell just out of habit, but try to be mindful and ask yourself if the increased risk is worth the potential cost.