AAA: Study Finds Texting at Traffic Lights Creates ‘Hangover’ Distraction

COLUMBUS, Ohio (News Talk 1480 WHBC) – AAA is fighting distracted driving in more than just the legislature.

Their Foundation for Traffic Safety recently released information on the “hangover effect”.

That’s the phenomenon where drivers who text at red traffic lights are still engaged in the discussion as long as 27 seconds after the light turns green.

As a result, they say drivers can miss other vehicles, pedestrians and objects in the road.

The agency is pushing for passage of House Bill 283 that makes the handling of any electronic device while driving a primary traffic offense.

AAA says most anything that takes your mind off driving and the road ahead of you for more than a few seconds can be considered a big distraction.

So, they recommend keeping the phone out of sight and use the “do not disturb” feature.

They say even hands-free driving is not distraction-free.

AAA encourages all motorists to eliminate distracted driving by following these tips:

Here are more safety tips from AAA:

• Put it away. Place your mobile device out of sight to prevent temptation.
• Know where you’re going. If using a navigation system, program the destination before driving.
• Pull over. If you must call or text while on the road, pull off the road safely and stop first.
• Ask passengers for help. If riding with someone, seek their help to navigate, make a call or send a message.
• Be a good passenger. Speak out if the driver of your vehicle is distracted.
• Don’t be a distraction. Avoid calling or texting others when you know they are driving.
• Activate Do Not Disturb. Setting up this feature on iPhone or Android device will prevent calls from coming in while you’re driving.