The more people are engaging in their mobile devices to stay connected, the more distracted they could be on the road. Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon to hear about a car accident because a driver was texting and driving. Even though it’s safe to say that everyone knows that distracted driving is dangerous, people are still allowing the distractions to happen, which can have an impact on your car insurance premiums.
Thankfully, technology companies have been developing applications and programs that have helped keep everyone on the road a little safer when a driver’s attention gets away from them, which is recommended by many car insurance agencies.
Some of this technology is being installed right into your vehicles. Automatic Emergency braking, Forward-Collision Warning, Lane-Keeping Assist, and Lane-Departure Warning are common features in newer cars. These technologies help reduce the likelihood of a car accident, which is great, but you still shouldn’t rely on them and use them as an excuse to drive distracted.
Car accidents are unfortunate and sometimes horrible; also, they can increase your car insurance premiums. The best way to stay safe on the road is to pay attention. When your phone rings or dings, it’s human nature for many people to look at their phone and respond. It’s no longer an option to just put your phone out of reach. People still feel pressure to check their phones and respond to messages as soon as possible, even when driving.
In response, companies have created apps that block text message and phone call alerts while your car is in motion. Many of these apps will also alert the sender that the recipient is driving and cannot respond. A couple of safe driving apps like these to keep in mind are CellControl DriveID, Apple iOS DND, and AT&T DriveMode.
There are, of course, Bluetooth options as well. When you get into your car, your phone can automatically sync up to your vehicle. You can receive phone calls and text messages without taking your hands off of the steering wheel. As nice as this feature sounds because it gives you the best of both worlds, we don’t always recommend them as your car insurance agent.
Answering a phone call or hearing a text message and then responding by voice to text is still distracting. We want you to be as safe as you can be on the road for your own wellbeing, and we want you to have the option of a safe driver discount on your car insurance.
Car safety is improving every day, and these safety measures are showing up in more and more new cars. All of these technology solutions are wonderful backups but giving your full attention to the task at hand is by far the best option. The phone call or text message can wait. No one wants to get into an accident; even minor ones can ruin your day and affect your car insurance premiums.
As your car insurance provider, we want you safe when you're on the road. It not only gives you a greater chance of avoiding dangerous situations, it can also save you money on your car insurance. Call us today for a free quote!