Take the Pledge and make an extra effort to watch your speed in areas where children or families may be present. You'll be playing a critical role in our fight to slow down traffic on our neighborhood streets.

5 Tips for Keeping Your Mind off of Gadgets – and on the Road

A new generation of technology gadgets – from Blackberries and iPods, to hundred-channel satellite radio receivers – are making the distractions associated with cell phone conversations seem almost quaint. If driving while talking, even hands-free, is dangerous – and a new study finds that it can be more dangerous than drunk driving – then just imagine how dangerous it is to type a text message with one hand on the wheel, or to find that one song among hundreds on an iPod. If you’re thinking that nobody does crazy stuff like that, you’re dead wrong. In fact, nearly 40% of the drivers polled by Autobytel say they’ve typed a text message while driving, 30% say they’ve driven while using their iPods with headphones … and an alarming 58% admit that they’ve taken BOTH hands off the wheel because they were fiddling with high-tech gadgets. It should come as no surprise, then, that when asked to describe their experience with in-vehicle gadgets and driver safety, 88% described it as either a moderate or serious safety threat, with 40% characterizing today’s tech-distracted drivers as “out of control.”

With that in mind, Autobytel's safety campaign, “Take the Pledge to Slow Down,” offers 5 basic tips for keeping in-vehicle technology distractions to a minimum, and keeping your eyes and mind focused where they belong: On the road.

2. Don’t be a “tech rubberneck”: Never put yourself in a position where you’d have to bend over to reach for a call or device while driving. If you’re considering a new vehicle, look for one that offers steering wheel controls for the CD player, radio, etc. If you’re an incorrigible communications junkie – and there are a lot of us out there – you might consider keeping temptation out of site (and out of mind). Put your cell phone, Treo, iPod, et. al. in your trunk, and use them to do what you have to do during stops.

3. Online and on-road don’t mix: It seems fairly obvious, but we’ll say it anyway: Don’t ever check or send email or surf the Internet while driving – period. Palm Pilots, laptops and navigation systems have all added a dangerous new hand-oriented multi-tasking to the driving experience, which completely takes eyes and attention off the road.

4. Don’t fiddle on the fly: If you have satellite radio (which often feature 100+ channels), set your favorite channels ahead of time. Many navigation systems will only allow you to program destinations before you drive, but if not, make sure that you follow that policy anyway. Choose a navigation system with a user-friendly design: large, simple and easily accessible controls, voice recognition, and clearly visible displays.

If you use an iPod (some of which now support 10,000 songs and intricate playlists) be sure to program what you want to hear before you start driving, and only make changes when you stop or pull over. No matter how difficult it is to install your iPod in your vehicle, never, ever use headphones while driving – It’s illegal, for a very good reason. If you’re having trouble finding or installing an effective iPod adaptor in your vehicle, visit the iPod center at Autobytel.com for instructions and advice.

5. Take the Pledge at Autobytel.com – Authorities are just beginning to study the effect of cutting-edge in-vehicle technology on driver distraction, accidents and fatalities – and legislation is likely years in the future. But just because something isn’t illegal yet doesn’t mean it’s not dangerous. Don’t become a statistic that’s later used to justify outlawing using in-vehicle technology while driving. Make a personal, predetermined decision to do the right thing NOW. If you want to put your commitment to drive safely and responsibly in writing, we encourage you to “Take the Pledge” today!

For complete poll coverage see the article below.

New Autobytel Survey Reveals That American Drivers Are Being “Driven to Distraction” by Cell Phones, Gadgets and Vehicle Technology - With an Alarming 58% Admitting They’ve Actually Driven With Both Hands Occupied by Technology

Last week, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger breathed new life into stalled state legislation to ban cell phone use while driving, calling the practice “inexcusable” and “terrible.” Well, according to a just-completed series of snap polls conducted as part of Autobytel’s “Take the Pledge to Slow Down” safe driving campaign, those harsh words apply to the vast majority of American drivers.

In fact, 84% of drivers polled by Autobytel say they use their cell phones while driving – either occasionally (51%) or often (33%). To make matters worse, the majority (56%) say they primarily do so for merely “personal” reasons (i.e., to chat), while only 28% say they primarily talk and drive for emergency situations, and only 16% for business. Despite the overwhelming popularity of driving and talking, 70% of poll-takers concede that they don’t think it’s safe, with 37% describing it as “not at all” safe and 33% saying it’s “not very” safe. And nearly half (48%) agree with Governor Schwarzenneger that it should be outlawed, with only 37% saying that it should not and 15% remaining undecided.

But as political will builds to control this “old school” driver distraction, a new generation of technology gadgets – from Blackberries and iPods, to hundred-channel satellite radio receivers – are making the distractions associated with cell phone conversations seem quaint. If driving while talking, even hands-free, is dangerous – and a new study finds that it’s actually more dangerous than drunk driving – then just imagine how dangerous it is to type a text message with one hand on the wheel, or to find that one song among hundreds on an iPod. If you’re thinking that nobody does crazy stuff like that, you’re dead wrong. In fact, nearly 40% of the drivers polled by Autobytel say they’ve typed a text message while driving, 30% say they’ve driven while using their iPods with headphones … and an alarming 58% admit that they’ve taken both hands off the wheel because they were fiddling with high-tech gadgets. It should come as no surprise, then, that when asked to describe their experience with in-vehicle gadgets and driver safety, 88% described it as either a moderate or serious safety threat, with 40% characterizing today’s tech-distracted drivers as “out of control.”

… Still not convinced? Just ask the 15% of all of the drivers polled who admit that they’ve actually caused or come close to causing an accident while distracted by technology.

Take the Pledge to Slow Down
CarSmart urges drivers to “Take the Pledge to Slow Down,” and make a personal commitment to drive safely and attentively – whether that means driving more slowly on neighborhood streets, or resisting the temptation to answer that incoming phone call while behind the wheel.

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CarSmart.com offers drivers A-to-Z safe driving resources and information to help drivers protect their families on the road. Autobytel safety resources include: vacation driving checklist (covering everything from pre-trip maintenance to on-the-road do’s and don’ts), plus basic tire safety tips, child seat tips, defensive driving strategies, an emergency kit checklist, and free online manufacturer recall checks. Drivers can also “Take the Pledge” online to drive with special care, particularly in areas where children may be present.

Access CarSmart’s Safety Guide for more information.