At this point, practically every person in Colorado owns or at least uses a cell phone on a regular basis. The presence of cell phones in a person’s everyday life means these devices go with you almost everywhere, including in the car.
For drivers who struggle to resist the dangerous – and illegal – temptations of cell phone use in the car, it may be necessary to take steps to disable some of those tempting features while behind the wheel. Most smart phones now either come pre-loaded with a distraction-reducing feature or offer them in the form of a downloadable app.
For iPhone users, the Do Not Disturb While Driving feature comes pre-loaded with the updated software system. The feature disables many of the distracting elements of your cell phone while still enabling some contact and other helpful features such as maps. Android users can choose from various apps that achieve similar results when enabled.
Details of these features
Using an app or feature such as Do Not Disturb While Driving makes it easier for drivers to resist temptations from cell phones until after they’ve reached the destination. Essentially, these features disable the distracting factors such as notifications, sounds and an active screen display so drivers can focus on the important task at hand: driving.
Each user can personalize the app to fit their needs. If you want to receive calls from certain contacts such as a spouse or children, create an exemption in the feature’s settings to allow calls and texts from certain contacts.
Additionally, the feature can respond to calls and texts to let others know you are driving and will get back to them when you’ve arrived. Users can override the block by replying “urgent” or calling again within a short amount of time, which lets the device know there is an urgent need to reach the driver. These features are customizable to fit your needs.
Risks of distracted driving
Despite the information about the dangers of distracted driving and laws against cell phone use, many people still choose to use devices while driving. This is a dangerous and selfish choice to make when operating a vehicle.
The dangers affect not only the driver, but their passengers and fellow travelers as well. Distracted driving accidents still happen far too often on Colorado’s roads. These accidents can have life-changing and incredibly damaging effects on the victims.
For those injured by a distracted driver, know that you have the right to justice in this state. Seek skilled, experienced medical and legal assistance after an accident caused by a distracted driver. Every cell phone user can take steps to reduce their dependence on devices in the car. Take away the distractions before they lead to catastrophic results in an accident.