Remember when you got your first cell phone? That was then and today a cell phone is so much more than just a phone. Data from Consumer Affairs reports that 98% of Americans, which is equal to 331 million people, own a smartphone. The industry goal of so many people having a cell phone is so you will bring it with you wherever you go to stay connected to friends, family, and work. Connectivity of that magnitude comes with consequences.
The National Safety Council (NSC) reports over 3,200 people died in distraction related crashes in 2022, and the victim accessing social media while driving was a significant part of those distractions. In 2025 Missouri and Montana are the only states that have not enacted laws against cell phone use while driving. California’s distracted driving laws as they relate to cell phones were first enacted on 2009 and states a driver can only use a cell that is not hands-free in the following scenarios:
- To report an emergency situation.
- While making a contactless payment while the vehicle is stationary such as in a drive through.
Ways To Block Access To Social Media – Despite laws to the contrary, drivers still use their cell phone when driving. We all see this happening on the road every day. According to the NSC, 82% of drivers say they feel pressure from their families to get on the phone when driving. In reality, the same people who want you to be safe when driving are the ones calling you when you’re driving. Thankfully, there are several options for blocking access to calls, texts, and social media while driving. Of course, the most obvious option is to turn the phone off. That is good advice for teen drivers until they gain more confidence in their driving skills.
Apple’s “Do Not Disturb While Driving” – Every generation of the iPhone brings new features. Anyone with an iOS 11 or higher can activate the “Do Not Disturb While Driving” feature. This works when your phone is connected to your car using Bluetooth or a cable. When activated, it will prevent notifications from coming through while you’re driving. You can set up a default response message to let the person sending you the text know that you’ve got your hands on the wheel. If the sender responds with “Urgent,” their message will go through. The feature also locks the iPhone to keep you from using your apps while driving. Emergency alerts, timers, and alarms will still be delivered. Activation of this means your phone will stay silent, and the screen will remain dark. Certain notifications, like emergency alerts, timers, and alarms, will still be delivered. You can receive phone calls from your Favorites, like with the standard “Do Not Disturb” feature. If someone calls you twice in a row, however, the call will come through as usual if you are connected to your car’s Bluetooth. Also, if you are a passenger who is trying to use the phone, you will be prompted to tap “I’m Not Driving” to disable the feature.
Android Auto – Android users running Android 5.0 or higher can activate Android Auto. This app doesn’t disable texts or calls and that can be done through Google Assistant.
Others Apps That Prevent Phone Use While Driving – Outside of the two main smartphone operating systems, you can download various apps that automatically reroute incoming calls to voicemail and hold text messages from being delivered until you deactivate the app. Some apps also let you reply to a text message with voice commands or have it read aloud to you. Some of the blocking apps include:
- Drivemode
- TextDrive
- Driving Detective
- Cellcontrol
Any driver taking their eyes off the road, even for a fraction of a second must be aware that this behavior can lead to a devastating accident. Using these apps can minimize the risk of causing an accident due to a distracted driver and they are not a replacement for responsible actions when behind the wheel of a car.
We represent people who are injured because of the careless and reckless acts of others. At the end of the day your case can only be settled one time and you need to know all of the facts beforehand. The reason that insurance companies have paid our clients in excess of $130,000,000.00 is that we get the facts and are not intimidated at the prospect of going to trial when insurance companies fail to offer full compensation. We help with serious injuries that require serious representation. We are the Law Offices of Guenard & Bozarth, LLP. Our attorneys have more than 60 years of experience specializing in only representing injured people. Call GB Legal 24/7/365 at 888-809-1075 or visit www.gblegal.com
