Put Down Your Phone While Driving!

Certain studies make you smile, others frankly make you angry like the latest Allianz report on phone use while driving.

Ask your friends and family, and they will all swear never, ever to use their mobile phones when they are behind the wheel. Yet, if you take a look at the cars around you, the number of people with their noses bent over their knees is quite alarming. It’s as if gravity is stronger or neck muscles weaker when you’re in the driver’s seat of a car.

So now, who admits to occasionally replying to a quick SMS or glancing at a notification on X, TikTok, or Insta? Super quick, right?

Allianz France and CSA surveyed French drivers to understand their behavior in the car regarding various distractions. The results show that 78% of drivers use their mobile phones while driving, whether on the dashboard or directly on the phone. And yes, using your car’s screen to navigate your phone via Apple CarPlay or Android Auto is just as dangerous and foolish as doing it directly on your phone.

Regarding the gravity law mentioned above, 39% of respondents use their phones by placing them on their laps, on the passenger seat, or holding them in their hands.

Here’s a quick reminder of the figures: Using a phone triples the risk of an accident, and even 23 times more if reading a SMS, according to the government’s road safety website. Most importantly, it’s completely prohibited: Driving and phone use – Regulations

When you interact with your phone, either directly or via your car’s screens, you divert your eyes from the road for an average of 5 seconds. Less time than it takes for a stroller to step onto a pedestrian crossing or for a child to cross to retrieve their skateboard or the ball that rolled away.

So next time you lower your head to glance at your phone resting on your lap, remember that you’re unlikely to get clocked by the police, but you’re increasing your chances of being involved in or causing an accident.

In the car, stick to brief, calm conversations, and set your phone to DO NOT DISTURB. Waiting a few minutes until you’re parked to check it won’t cause you to miss anything important, only an accident. Ask your parents how they managed 30 years ago without phones at the wheel—you’ll see that we can survive it.

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