We live in a busy, busy world. It seems that we try to do everything. This has led us to be quite good at multitasking. But is it always a good thing?

Sure, he’s very talented at changing a baby while talking on the phone or listening to a recorded book while jogging, but he’s gotten a little out of hand when it comes to cell phones and driving. Many of us don’t believe it’s dangerous or think ‘we’ can handle it better than others. Look at these statistics:

Automobile Association of America Foundation for Highway Safety

o More than half of US drivers report using a cell phone while driving.

o 7 out of 10 admit to texting while driving.

o Young drivers were overwhelmingly more likely to text and somewhat more likely to talk on cell phones while driving than older drivers.

o Men with higher education are more likely to talk while driving

o You are 3 times more likely to have an accident if you are dialing a phone

Oh! That’s scary, but why do I feel like this won’t change your habits? Honestly, I’m sitting around saying to myself, “that’s pretty bad.” But I’ll probably use my cell phone again. I need to break that habit. Here are a few more to convince you:

Virginia Driving Institute of Technology

o Dialing a cell phone increases the risk of traffic accidents 2.8 times. Look at that, the same as the findings of the American Automobile Association.

o Texting while driving increases the risk of accidents 23.2 times. 23 times!!!

Finally, some states have adopted actual laws on this topic and I expect more to follow.

This is what California is doing:

o Do not text while driving

o Not using your cell phone while driving

o If you’re under 18, you can’t even use hands-free devices while driving.

Alright, bottom line: If you’re driving, don’t text, and if you don’t have a hands-free device, wait until you can pull over to talk on the phone. Remember, you are not the only one on the road. We ALL share the path. Do not be selfish. Get a hands-free device and keep your eyes on the road.