When you stop at a traffic light, there isn’t much to do except wait for your turn. Sometimes that can seem like a eternity. If you’re at an intersection that has a delayed green or even just a naturally long cycle, you may start to get bored. After all, there’s only so much looking around that you can realistically do before you’ve seen it all. Sometimes you get lucky and there’s something entertaining to watch going on around you, but most of the time you just need to sit there and wait. It’s no surprise that these are the moments that many people use to check their cell phones.
It seems like a harmless thing. The light’s red, you know it’s going to stay that way for a few seconds at least, so you check to make sure that nothing major has happened while you’ve been driving. Perhaps you were having a conversation with a friend or your spouse that you don’t want to leave a long break in. Maybe you’re checking to make sure your parents are doing fine while watching your child. Whatever the reason, checking your phone is safe at the moment, right? You’re not moving or anything, so it doesn’t seem to really be an issue. Unfortunately, this just isn’t the case.
While it may seem safe to check your phone if you’re stopped at a light, it really isn’t. This is due to one main thing: your attention is now split. You need to make sure that you are constantly aware of your surroundings when behind the wheel, and you simply can’t do that if you’re paying attention to your phone. Not only do you need to watch for the light to turn green again, but making sure that other drivers on the road are doing what they should be so you don’t get hurt is an important part of driving too. The only good time to check your phone while you’re in your car is if you’re parked in a safe area away from other moving vehicles.
Here at Wirth Chiropractic, we know how dangerous it can be to be behind the wheel while someone else is driving while checking their phone. If you were in a crash caused by someone looking at their phone at a stop light, give us a call. We can help you feel better in no time!
