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Home  : Safety  : On the road  : Distracted Driving

Distracted Driving

Girl talking on her cell phone while in her car.

Distracted driving can be a disaster

It’s unsafe to text or talk on your phone while driving. You need to give your full attention to the road and the other drivers. Even if you can text without looking at the screen, it’s still not safe. Your full attention needs to be given to your car, and both hands should be on the steering wheel.

Many states have made texting while driving illegal. Also, many states completely banned cell phone use for teens and new drivers when driving, even talking with a headset. This means you must pull over and stop the car to make or receive a phone call.

Learn about state cell phone laws.

If you live in a state where cell phone use is allowed while driving, remember to use your headset. It will keep your hands free so that you can quickly respond to anything that may happen on the road.

Here's a tip to stay focused when driving: Text #X to tell folks you are about to drive and need to pause your text, email, and social media messages. Want more info? Get tips and tools and take a pledge against texting and driving.

What should I do if my friends are texting while driving?

If you’re a passenger in a car and the driver is texting, offer to text for the driver. If he or she is texting a mutual friend — or even a parent — it shouldn’t be a big deal for you to type the text and read aloud the responses. Don’t be afraid to say something — your life may depend on it.

 

Content last reviewed September 22, 2009
Page last updated December 04, 2014

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