Cell Phone Safety Tips
Did you know talking on your cell phones can be hazardous to your health?

We’re not talking about the reports associated with cell phone usage and brain tumors. We're talking about the injuries you could suffer from the results of an automobile accident due to cell phone usage while driving.

How many times have you seen another driver start to drift into another lane of traffic – maybe even yours – and then when you look over at them, what do you see? A Cell Phone! Usually the driver is more interested in their conversation than obeying the rules of the road. While many states are introducing laws that make it illegal for people to be on their hand held phones while driving, others are lobbying to make it a law. In states where there is no law against holding a cell phone while driving, police officers can ticket you for unsafe driving.

WTAJ-TV and Edgar Snyder & Associates have teamed up to bring you these handy Cell Phone Safety Tips. Take a minute to look over them, study them, and become a responsible driver and not a statistic.

• Texting while driving or operating a moving vehicle should be done while pulled over.
• Hand-held vs. Hands-free? Talking on the cell either way is as dangerous as driving drunk. With Hands-free people’s reactions are 18% slower in braking and it took 17% longer to regain the speed they lost whenever they braked.
• Businesses should prohibit workers from using cell phones while driving to conduct business. In their written policies businesses should state that “personnel must pull over along the side of the road to conduct business on their cell phone”.
• Turn the phone off before you start driving, let the callers leave a message.
• Let a passenger answer the phone for you if you are expecting an important call, or let the passenger drive.
• If you have to make or take an important call, look for a safe opportunity to pull over and park.
• Use only a speakerphone or a hands-free phone. Put the accessories on before you start driving.
• If you must us a hand-held phone, place it where it will be readily accessible.
• Don’t answer the phone until you have checked that it’s safe to do so.
• Use speed dial options, pre-dial the number before leaving if you know it’s not programmed.
• Driving and talking are difficult don’t try to read or take notes. Use the voice recorder on your cell phone after the conversation.
• Keep calls short and factual. Emotional or thought-provoking conversation are distracting.
• It’s good etiquette to ask a caller to hold until you can park, or to say you’ll retun the call as soon as it’s safe to do so.
• Stay in the right lane where driving may be less demanding.
• When reporting an emergency from your cell phone-pull over and ensure you are not in the flow of traffic. If you must keep driving remember your primary concern is to avoid causing another emergency.
• Get to know your phone and its features, such as speed dial and redial.
• Place calls when you’re not moving or before pulling into traffic.
• Do not engage in stressful or emotional conversations.
• Pennsylvania bills prohibit school bus drivers from using a cell phone while operating a school bus. Pennsylvania bills also prohibit as a secondary offense the use of all mobile phones while operating a moving vehicle, punishable by a fine.
• Suspend conversations during hazardous conditions.

The risk of having a traffic accident while using a cell phone is the same as that while driving drunk. Just like drunk drivers, drivers using their cell phones have slower reaction times and miss important visual clues.

Don’t be the next statistic…Drive Responsibly and next time…Let It RING!!