Written by Social Monsters

You’ve seen the videos, billboards and advertisements urging you to refrain from texting and driving. Yet, you continue to do it. You’re convinced you’ve got it all under control and those unfortunate occurrences won’t ever happen to you. You are invincible.

The problem is, you’re not. Each time you take your eyes off the road, you’re taking a huge risk.

1.You Could Easily Pull Over.

Unless you’re driving on an extremely narrow roadway with shoulder, or where there is no parking lots or driveways in sight, you should be able to pull over and respond to that urgent text message. If not, it’s much more dangerous to take your eyes off the roadway, even if it’s just for a few seconds, than it is to keep driving until you find a safe place to bring your vehicle to a halt.

2. You Might Wreck.

If you’re texting while driving, you’re 23 percent more likely to be involved in an accident, notes Driving-Tests.org. Not only do you not want to be injured or killed, but you also want to keep that pretty little ride of yours, don’t you?

3. Safety of Others is at Stake.

You care about your passengers, don’t you? So why would you put their lives at risk by responding to a text message? How about all the other pedestrians and drivers on the road? Don’t risk injuring them and having to live with the guilt on your conscience?

4. You’re Breaking the Law.

Depending on your state of residence, it may be illegal to text and drive. And for a good cause, since focusing on the road, and not the messages appearing on the screen of your smartphone, may save your life. sr22insurance.net offers a comprehensive list of states that ban the use of handheld cell phones while driving.

5. Your Insurance Company Doesn’t Like Excuses.

The greater risk you pose to your insurance provider, the higher your premiums. After all, why should they cut you slack when you’re putting it all on the line each time you whip out that phone. And once law enforcement steps in and issues you a citation, rest assured your insurance provider won’t be too happy about it..

6. Your Reaction Time is Slower.

You’re not as sharp as you think when texting and driving. A University of Utah Study revealed it drastically impairs reaction time. David Strayer, a University of Utah psychology professor and principal author of the study, added:

“If you put a 20-year-old driver behind the wheel with a cell phone, [his] reaction times are the same as a 70-year-old driver who is not using a cell phone.”

7. You Run the Risk of AutoCorrect.

We’ve all had our own terrifying experiences with AutoCorrect. Eliminate the risk.

8. You May Extend Your Trip.

If you’re in unfamiliar territory, you need to pay close attention to the road so you don’t miss an important turn or exit. If your eyes are fixated on your smartphone’s keyboard, don’t be disgruntled if being inattentive tacks on additional time and U-turns to your trip.

9. You’re Acting as a Bad Example.

Assuming there are others that ride in the car with you who do not yet have their licenses, you may be communicating that it’s OK to engage in this risky behavior.

10. It Can Wait.

The world won’t end if you don’t type out your message and hit submit while driving.

Transmitting a message isn’t worth receiving a citation, getting in a collision or putting the lives of others and your own at stake. If you’re not yet convinced, check out the statistics on Don’t Text & Drive. Put down the smartphones and pay attention when you’re behind the wheel to make the roadway a safer place for drivers.