The use of cell phones while driving has become too casual and is a terrible habit. Nobody seems to realize the severity and danger of their actions until the worst possible outcome happens—injury or death, and by that time, it’s too late to have learned your lesson. In 2007, Washington was the first state to pass a law forbidding texting and driving, and most states followed its lead, yet still, we see far too many accidents caused by teenagers and adults who are on their phones.

More recently, it’s become clear that you don’t need to send a message or talk on the phone to be distraído en la carretera. Many people use their phones to check emails, listen to music, or navigate, which, in turn, has led drivers to take advantage of the specifics of the law, saying, “Oh, well I wasn’t texting, I was only changing the song.” The reality is that anything you do on your phone that requires you to take your eyes off the road is considered a distraction.

Driving is a luxury and privilege that demands 100% of our undivided attention, and if we can’t give that to ourselves and others, then we don’t deserve to be on the road. Driving alone is a risk in and of itself, but getting distracted by electronic devices doubles your risk. Law enforcement is beginning to put an end to this behavior, and hopefully, people will come to respect the law instead of finding loopholes around it.

On July 1, 2019, Illinois passed a state law that bans all cell phone use while driving. Even if you are not using your phone to text or call, but are merely holding it, you will receive a moving violation. The first offense will go on the driver’s permanent record and will result in a $75 fine and increase by $15 until the third offense—after that, the driver’s license will be suspended. Police will not only be enforcing this, but traffic cameras will be snapping photos of people at red lights if they have a phone in their hand. So, if you are driving in Illinois, make sure you keep your car a hands-free zone.

Aunque las leyes sobre el uso de teléfonos móviles pueden parecer innecesarias o molestas para la gente, en realidad son un paso en la dirección correcta para eliminar y evitar tantos accidentes de tráfico como sea posible en el futuro. El uso del teléfono móvil mientras se conduce es responsable de cientos de miles de accidentes en los EE. UU. al año, especialmente entre los adolescentes que tienen una experiencia mínima en la carretera y necesitan dedicar la mayor atención posible a practicar hábitos de conducción seguros.

To avoid accidents and run-ins with the law, we have a couple of recommendations regarding staying off the phone while driving, whether you live in Illinois or not. Even if your state does not have a set-in-stone law about cell phone use while driving, we advise you to practice these habits anyway to ensure the safety of yourself and others.

Invierta en un soporte para automóvil

Si aún no tienes uno, los soportes para el coche son muy útiles y seguros para los conductores en la carretera. Si eres una persona que está acostumbrada a mirar hacia abajo a su teléfono en su regazo, un soporte para el coche te ayudará a mantener la vista en la carretera frente a ti y te permitirá ver la navegación sin tener que mirar hacia abajo. También se venden a un precio bastante bajo en Amazonas por sólo $16.99.

Configurar el modo manos libres o CarPlay

Cell phones have become an essential part of everyday life that many people can not escape. People today need to be on their phones for a lot of reasons, whether it’s for work or keeping in touch with kids. We do not doubt the fact that cell phones are completely necessary to function, just not at the expense of your life. If you are a person who needs to be on your phone for a business call while on the road, consider setting up Bluetooth so you don’t have to hold the phone and can keep both hands on the steering wheel. If your car doesn’t have a Bluetooth system, Amazon sells a variety of earpieces that you can manually connect to your phone.

No molestar mientras se conduce

If you have an iPhone, you can set up Do Not Disturb while driving. The phone recognizes when you are in a car and silences all notifications for the time being. An automatic response will tell the person trying to reach you that you are busy driving and will get back to them shortly. You can set this up to be automated or do it manually every time you get in the car. If you do not have a smartphone, maybe consider turning your phone off to get rid of any temptation to use it while you are on the road.