The New Laws On Distracted Driving
**A contributed post as written for The Safe Driver.
Sat on the sofa the other night, we were sat scrolling through our phone when we stumbled across what looked to be a life-changing video. We were going to watch it there and then. But we didn’t. And the reason we didn’t was because it was 3 ½ minutes long. That’s is the state of the world right now. Our attention spans have diminished no end.
The reason we’re telling you this is because this lack of attentiveness has, unfortunately, had a knock-on effect on our driving behaviours. Yup. We’ve become increasingly distracted when we step behind the wheel.
It’s gotten really bad too. In fact, last year, over 27% of fatal car accidents were the direct result of drivers being distracted, whether that be something inside or outside the car. That’s a heck of a large percentage.
The big problem is, well, people don’t really understand what constitutes as distracted driving. They don’t know what the hazards are when they step behind the wheel, what dangers they pose or what is deemed to be illegal, which is a hot topic right now because the new distracted driving laws have gotten much-much tougher.
So, without further ado, here are the distracted driving offences that you will get penalize you if you practise them while behind the wheel (and rightly so):
1. Mobile Phone Use
Once upon a time, it was an offence to be using your phone. That’s to say talking on the phone, texting, Instagramming or anything like that. But the laws now states just holding or touching your phone is illegal. So, to be on the safe side (and we mean that in every sense of the word), don’t use your phone while driving. Not to check your maps app or to make sure your mascara is still lovely. It is not worth the risks.
2. Eating And Drinking
If you’re behind the wheel, even a quick nibble on a sandwich or a brief slurp of water can be dangerous. It takes away from your concentration when driving. Opening the packet your sandwich is in, trying to unscrew the bottle top, tilting your head back, fumbling to pop it back into the drinks holder. It may seem innocent, but it could be the last sandwich you ever have. Instead, when you’re thirsty or hungry, pullover and indulge yourself before getting back on the road. Yes, it will take you longer to get from A to B. But it’s better to be ten minutes late in this world than ten minutes early for the next.
3. GPS Crack Down
GPS are a part of modern-day driving. We all know that. And it makes sense. They are so much better and safer than paper maps (even if the magic is lost a little). However, it’s now illegal to tamper with your GPS device while on the move. Instead, you need to set your system up before you depart and then stop the car if you want to type in a new destination or check anything.