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Tips to Avoid Using Your Phone Behind the Wheel

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Texting and driving

We’ve all experienced it. You’re listening to your music on the way home, but your car isn’t equipped with a hands-free audio system and you want to change the song. Or you hear your phone ringing on the passenger’s seat and fight the urge to pick it up and answer it. In an ever-connected world, we are all tempted to use our phone behind the wheel. But using devices can be a huge, dangerous distraction while driving, so here are a few ways to reduce that temptation.

Make a playlist

Whether you buy your music or use a streaming app like Spotify, put together a playlist of your current favorite songs. If you love listening to country music or ’80s rock during your morning commute, create a playlist exclusively for your favorite car-jams. This way, you’re less likely to hear a song you want to skip.

Silence your phone

Most of the time, the temptation to use your phone doesn’t strike until you hear it blip. Before you get behind the wheel, put your phone out of sight and flip it to silent or vibrate. That way, you won’t see the screen light up and you won’t hear it go off. Anything that comes through can wait.

Utilize Siri

If you have an iPhone but your car isn’t equipped with Apple CarPlay, use the “Hey Siri” function. If your phone is sitting on the passenger’s seat, you can speak to it like a person by saying “Hey Siri.” It will activate Siri hands-free and make it easier than ever to hear your messages, no matter what kind of car you have.

Avoid starting conversations before driving

When you get off work in the evenings, it may be tempting to send out all of those text messages you wanted to send during the day. But if you send them on your way out to the car, all of the responses will come flooding in on your commute home. Wait until you get home to start those conversations and you’ll be less tempted to continue them behind the wheel.

Consider hands-free technology

There are plenty of new technology systems that will allow you to stay connected behind the wheel without taking your hands off the wheel. Whether that is a new audio system for your car, a Bluetooth® earpiece, or simply an app that will disable your phone, you can utilize technology to stop you from using technology. Welcome to the 21st century!

Distracted driving is unbelievably dangerous; not only is your own life at risk, but you’re putting everyone around you in danger as well. No matter what the text message says, it can wait.