TRANSPORTATION MATTERS for IOWA

Message Monday: Stop distracted driving cold turkey


11-25 cold turkeyDo you have a cell phone addiction you need to overcome?

According to Helpguide.org, “While you can experience impulse-control problems with a laptop or desktop computer, the size, and convenience of smartphones and tablets means that we can take them just about anywhere and gratify our compulsions at any time. In fact, most of us are rarely ever more than five feet from our smartphones. Like the use of drugs and alcohol, they can trigger the release of the brain chemical dopamine and alter your mood. You can also rapidly build up a tolerance so that it takes more and more time in front of these screens to derive the same pleasurable reward.”

This increasing addiction is feeding an increase in distracted driving. A report from Zendrive labels distracted driving “Public Enemy #1.”

Do you think you have a problem or have others expressed concern over your cellphone use? The study suggests that many phone addicts don’t know they are addicted or that their behavior is harmful. Here are 21 signs you’re way too addicted to your phone https://www.rd.com/advice/relationships/cell-phone-addiction/page/2/

And 10 ways to help you overcome your addiction - https://www.greenbot.com/article/3095414/10-tips-to-help-you-beat-smartphone-addiction.html

For 2019, there have been 286 fatalities reported. That’s an increase of five since last Monday. The 2018 fatality count stands at 319. This is subject to change as law enforcement reports are completed. To see statistics published daily by the Bureau of Driver & Identification Services, go to the daily fatality report at https://www.iowadot.gov/mvd/stats/daily.pdf.

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