By Alfred Zakaria
Using mobile phones while driving can significantly impair a driver's behavior, particularly in terms of hand-eye coordination, emotional state, and decision-making on the road.
The simple act of making a phone call disrupts a driver's ability to maintain proper control and focus.
Numerous studies show that a driver's performance is greatly reduced, particularly when it comes to maintaining the appropriate speed, making decisions in a timely manner, and maintaining a safe distance from other vehicles.
There is evidence to suggest that a driver using a phone while driving is four times more likely to be involved in an accident compared to one who isn’t.
It’s important to ask ourselves: what is the real reason for using a phone while driving? Can social media, messages, Instagram, Twitter, or WhatsApp really not wait until we pull over? Do messages disappear?
It’s safer to be on the phone while driving than texting, but both are still dangerous distractions. Using a phone while driving reduces focus and concentration, and it can also impair vision as attention is diverted from the road to the screen.
It is essential to develop the habit of disconnecting from the phone when driving. A simple and effective way to do this is by turning off mobile data and keeping the phone out of sight.
Mobile phones can cause us to miss important road signs, red lights, and traffic signals, leading to dangerous situations where we unknowingly drive through an intersection.
Phones can also cause the brain to relax the foot on the brake pedal or apply too much pressure, and they can lead to a lack of awareness while behind the wheel, particularly when stuck in traffic or driving at low speeds.
In traffic, when an officer allows cars to proceed, or when they stop traffic, a distracted driver may fail to notice and collide with the vehicle in front. What’s the cause? The phone.
Anyone who truly cares about you should understand that when you say you’re driving, they should immediately end the call.
Those who don’t care may continue chatting or texting, disregarding your safety. In group chats, the messages can always wait—there’s no rush.
A car should never be driven while the driver is mentally distracted or stressed, as the information received on the phone can increase this mental strain. Whether it’s excitement or sadness, both emotions can be hazardous while driving.