Last year regulators and safety experts established guidelines calling on phone makers to install a "driver mode" in smartphones. The "driver mode" would disable specific functions -- texting and social media, for example -- while drivers are behind the wheel.
Texting while driving has been touted as the most dangerous behavior behind the wheel. However, a new study shows that drivers should be just as worried about daydreaming while driving. In fact, the study reported that daydreaming and driving can be more dangerous than texting while driving.
Traffic fatalities increased for the first time in the U.S. since 2005. The National Safety Council reported that there was a five percent increase in traffic deaths from 2011, with roughly 36,200 car accident fatalities reported last year.
Distracted driving is one most common causes of car accidents in the U.S. The increased use of technology and Americans constantly having their cellphones nearby has only made distracted driving more dangerous.
Perhaps you have seen drivers using their phones as traffic inches by an accident scene. Drivers may be using their cellphones to call home and let their family know they will be late for dinner, or may be texting to let others know to avoid the area of the wreck. Unless drivers are calling to report an Illinois car accident to emergency personnel, however, using a cellphone near the scene of a crash may soon be banned.
In an effort to increase public awareness about safety, the National Safety Council (NSC) designates each June as National Safety Month. Each week focuses on a different safety theme. This year, week five is devoted to highlighting the dangers of cell phone use behind the wheel.
Traffic deaths in 2010 dropped to historic lows. A variety of factors are likely responsible for the decline including improved technology, increased public awareness about safe driving practices and improvements in road engineering.