Though in the state of Wisconsin being on a cellular phone
is not illegal it can still be very dangerous for you, your passengers, and others
on the road. Maybe you are like me and find
yourself answering an occasional phone call while driving. Well I have found some easy tips to help you
and me take that important phone call while we are behind the wheel.
First and foremost, the best tip is to pull over as soon as
it is safe. Turning off your phone when you are driving so you do not have that
distraction can also be helpful. However,
we may in a place where pulling over is not very safe. In these cases there are a few ways we can be
safer behind the wheel.
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Bluetooth- using a Bluetooth instead of a
handheld device behind the wheel can keep you having both hands on the wheel
instead of trying to multitask by holding the phone, while changing the radio
in which you would then have no hands on the wheel and your attention would not
be on the road.
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Car speakers- you are now able to connect your
phone to your car into the car speakers so you can hear the person you are
talking with through the speaker system and not have to again hold the phone to
your ear. This way you are not
struggling to hear and can again focus more on the road.
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Sticky Pad- there are these sticky pads that you
can put on your dashboard or in your car that your phone will not slide off
of. This way you are not searching for
your phone in your bag or your purse when it goes off. You know where it is and you can keep your
eyes on the road.
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Speed Dial- program in your speed dial the
people or places you call most so if you do have to make a phone call you can
just hit the speed dial number instead of trying to find them in your contacts
list. Searching for a contact can be
difficult and very distracting when you are driving.
Keep conversations brief so you are not getting into really
heated or in-depth conversation on the phone while driving. Also, let the person you are on the phone
with know you are driving so they are aware if you get into traffic or bad
weather you will quickly get off the phone and call them back at a later time. As you are driving please be aware of Wisconsin cell phone
usage laws. Currently there is a ban on
texting while driving in the entire state.
In Waupaca county there is a ban on handheld cell phone usage in
automobiles. They have to be connected
to the car speakers or a headset.
Answering or making a phone call while driving can be
distracting, so do your part to keep you and everyone else on the road safe when
you need to make or receive a call on the road.
-Kimmarie