Inside The Mind Of An Automotive Geek

Life is more important than any of your BMW 3 Series parts or your 2009 Chevrolet Camaro! Life should not be taken for granted and that’s the best thing we should all do - care for yourself and care for others! Be a responsible driver! I know you’re going to ask me why I’m so concerned about this matter. Well, actually this is a serious issue that’s why I’m here to remind you about responsible driving!

From one of the latest news published on autochannel.com about the most recent survey from the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), it was revealed that distracted driving is dangerous and deadly as caused by extreme outrageous behavior!

"These examples, along with hundreds of others we all see on a regular basis, highlight how important of an issue distracted driving really is. The steel safety cage in a car is the last line of defense for vehicle occupants in the event of a crash, but we as an industry advocate safe, non-aggressive driving and an extra dose of common sense to avoid a crash from even occurring. Everyday we are hearing about more and more accidents caused by distracted driving, so it's time that this issue becomes front and center in our everyday conversations," explained Bill Heenan, the president of the Steel Recycling Institute (SRI) group.

Here are the helpful and effective tips to avoid distracted driving! These pieces of info are courtesy of the Loyola University Health System and Insurance Bureau of Canada. So what are you waiting for? Read, read and read! (And don’t forget to remember these when behind the wheel.)

1. Ask passengers to keep conversation to a minimum and help you navigate.
   
2. Deal with potential distractions before you hit the road, such as eating, putting on make-up, combing your hair, reading and checking messages.
   
3. Be well rested before getting behind the wheel.
   
4. Make sure you have clear directions and double-check the map before you leave.
   
5. Familiarize yourself with your dashboard controls before you go. Make sure your seat, headrest, seatbelt, rearview mirror, temperature controls, radio, etc., are adjusted to your liking.
   
6. Manage your music ahead of time. Pre-program your car radio, and adjust your channels, CDs or iPOD only when the car is stopped.
   
7. Pull over somewhere safe if you need to make an urgent call, check a message, deal with the kids, eat or drink, etc.
   
8. Change your cell phone voicemail message to let callers know that you may be driving and you will call them back later.
   
9. Tell everyone that for safety reasons, you no longer take calls while driving. If you call someone and find out that they are driving, let them go and call them later.
   
10. Turn off your cell phone and PDA when you get into your car. Lock it in the trunk if it helps!