Cell Phone Use While Driving Statistics:

• More than 80 million Americans have cellular phones
• More than 2,800,000 people made 911 calls from cellular phones in 1996
• 85% of drivers use their cell phone while driving
• 44% of all drivers have phones in their cars
• Traffic Fatalities related to cell phone use have increased more than 800% since 1993
• 26% of all traffic fatalities were caused by driver distraction (Includes cellular phone use)
• 7% of all drivers have e-mail access
• 3% of drivers can receive faxes
• Using the cell phone while driving, quadrupled the risk of getting into a car accident
• Using a cell phone while driving is almost as dangerous as driving drunk
• Talking on a hands-free set is as dangerous as a regular cell phone

Blind Spots
According to the NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION (NHTSA) in Washington D.C., there are approximately 840,000 side-to-side blind spot collisions with 300 fatalities every year in the United States.

Most people adjust the side-view mirrors so that they can see the side of the vehicle. This causes your side-view mirrors to overlap much of what is reflected by your rear-view mirror. This overlap creates blind spots at your doors.

Set Mirrors Properly to Eliminate Blind Spots:

• Adjust the interior mirror so that the rear window is framed
• Before you start your car, sit in your normal driving position and put your head against the driver’s side window. Look in your left sideview mirror and adjust it so that you see as little of the left side of your car as possible
• From your position in the driver’s seat, place your head along the centerline of the car. Look in your right sideview mirror and adjust so that you see as little of the right side of your car as possible