Distracted driving. It is happening everywhere you look nowadays even in Bristol and Warren, RI!
What is distracted driving? The National Highway Traffic Safety defines distracted driving as any activity that could divert a person’s attention from the primary task of driving. All distractions endanger driver, passenger, and bystander safety.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety outlines these distractions as: texting, using a cellphone or smartphone, eating, grooming, reading a map, using navigation system, watching a video, adjusting a radio, CD player or MP3 player.
Distracted driving laws specifically a law on texting while driving in Rhode Island went into effect in 2011 and this law made it illegal for all drivers to send, read or compose text messages while driving.
According to Rhode Island Law, drivers under the age of 18 are considered “novice” drivers. They are banned from all cell phone use whether it is hand-held or hands-free.
Like novice drivers, bus drivers are also prohibited from all cell phone use.
Currently, there is no ban for adults preventing hand-held cell phone use such as talking on the phone.
However, last fall, the Rhode Island Traffic Tribunal recently upheld a magistrate’s ruling making it a violation to use a GPS feature on your cell phone.
Local police and the Rhode Island State Police are cracking down on distracted driving and the dangers it brings. As of December 1st, 2016 513 distracted driving citations were written doubling the total of 231 in 2015.
Click here for some great tips from the Insurance Information Institute on ways to prevent distracted driving.
If you drive, do the smart thing and keep your hands on your steering wheel and your eyes on the road, not on your phone. Also make sure you’re financially protected with an excellent insurance policy should you encounter a driver who continues to text and drive. We also want to make our clients and others – including those who are the parents of teenagers or young adults – aware of the very real danger of distracted driving, especially the distraction of texting while driving. We’ve got you covered.
Contact John Andrade Insurance at 401-253-652 for more information on Rhode Island Auto Insurance or Massachusetts Auto insurance.