Are You a Distracted Driver?

As parents, we play a number of roles in our children’s lives, but by far our biggest role is that of protector. In honor of National Safety Week, we can do our family a major service by learning the unsettling facts about one of the greatest dangers -distracted driving - and how we can keep our children safest during car rides. We can commit to being vigilant drivers by focusing our eyes on the road and keeping our hands on the wheel. And, we can equip ourselves with the right products to help us do so.

It’s estimated that at any given moment, 660,000 drivers in America are using their cell phones or handling other devices while driving, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). But that number probably isn’t shocking. We’ve all looked over while stopped at a light and seen the driver next to us texting away or looking down at his or her phone. What is shocking is the percentage of people on the road around us who are busy being a distracted driver, putting you and your family at risk. The CDC reports that 69% of people ages 18–64 admitted to talking on their cell phones while driving, and 31% of survey respondents admitted to texting. Even more frightening, the youngest and least experienced drivers – our teenaged children – have the highest rates. According to the NHTSA, 78% of teens admitted to reading texts behind the wheel. Regrettably, the NHTSA states that in 2012, 3,328 people were killed and 421,000 people were injured in distracted driving accidents. Even a few seconds of looking away from the road can make all the difference.

To combat these statistics, many states have enforced laws to prohibit the use of hand-held cellular devices and texting while driving. A summary of the laws for your state can be found HERE.

As a parent, you can be even more proactive in the fight against distracted driving by pledging to use hands-free devices, if you must make a call while driving, and by completely refusing to text. These small, but critical actions can help protect your children.

In-car speaker phones such as the Jabra Tour make this commitment easier. This portable, sleek Bluetooth speaker phone makes going hands-free easy by providing crystal-clear hearing. Voice-activated user controls and caller ID allow you to make outgoing calls, accept or ignore incoming calls and end calls. It can also stream music or GPS directions to you.

Or, if you like to chat on the phone while driving or doing errands (i.e., cooking, shopping, stroller walks), a state-of-the-art headset might be a better fit to help you go hands-free safely. The Jabra Stealth, a modern, light-weight headset, offers HD sound quality and blocks out background noise. And, with a tap of the button on the earpiece, you can activate Siri or Google Now, eliminating the need to look down at your phone.



The FREE Jabra Assist app compliments its products: it’s easily downloadable on iOS and Android phones and will locate your car or Jabra headset if you’ve lost track. For busy moms and dads, this makes life more convenient.

Our role as protector is a rewarding challenge. Being equipped with knowledge and the right gear makes it easier for us to guard against the many dangers on the road and in life’s journey.