When you walk down the street, you can see the influence of the digital world everywhere. You can really understand when you see everyone’s heads buried in a cell phone. Don’t think that influence bleeds over into automotive use and you would be wrong, maybe dead wrong.

Here are some stats from EdgarSnyder.com:

• ational Safety Council reports that cell phone use while driving leads to 1.6 million crashes each year.
• Nearly 330,000 injuries occur each year from accidents caused by texting while driving.
• 1 out of every 4 car accidents in the United States is caused by texting and driving.
• Texting while driving is 6x more likely to cause an accident than driving drunk.
• Answering a text takes away your attention for about five seconds. Traveling at 55 mph, that’s enough time to travel the length of a football field.
• Texting while driving causes a 400% increase in time spent with eyes off the road.
• Of all cell phone related tasks, texting is by far the most dangerous activity.
• 94% of drivers support a ban on texting while driving.
• 74% of drivers support a ban on hand-held cell phone use.

With the cell phone being so distracting and dangerous in the car, what steps can we take to stay safe? SafeLite.com has some tips:

While we don’t recommend using your cell phone while driving, as it’s a large cause of distracted driving, sometimes it can be unavoidable. Luckily, there are some cell phone measures that you can follow to make sure you’re staying safe while using your phone.

To start, before you get behind the wheel, know the cell phone usage laws in your state or local area. Fourteen states prohibit all drivers from using hand-held cell phones while driving, and many others ban text messaging or cell phone usage entirely for teen or novice drivers. By being aware of the laws and regulations in your local area, you’re keeping yourself safe (those laws are in place for a reason!) and avoiding hefty fines. The National Conference of State Legislatures provides a chart that outlines cell phone use laws by state.

When in the car, make sure you keep your cell phone within arm’s reach so you’re able to grab it without taking your eyes off the road. However, if possible, using a hands-free device is the best way to use your cell phone while driving. If your car is Bluetooth-enabled, use that method, but you can use many other accessories or even just the speaker function on your phone. Anything that keeps your eyes on the road and hands on the wheel is a great accessory to take advantage of.

Cell phone manufacturers have been working to make their phones safer, so being aware of the specific features offered on your phone is a good idea. Many phones have speed dial, voice commands and other features that can keep your eyes on the road while still being able to dial or answer the phone. Take a few moments to review your cell phone owner’s manual and familiarize yourself with these safety features. And keep in mind that even though you may be using safety features like speed dial or voice commands, it’s always best to dial the phone when you are stopped.

Staying aware of the weather is also something that you should be doing before using your cell phone. On a clear, sunny day, it may be safer to use your cell phone than on a hazy, foggy or rainy or snowy day. That goes for heavy traffic, too. If the roads are congested with a large number of cars, you should be staying as alert as possible, and that means keeping your attention on the road, not your phone.

Texting or surfing the internet while driving is considered distracted driving, and can be incredibly dangerous, so do your best to avoid those activities when driving. If you must, texting should only be done when you are stopped.

A cell phone is the very best tool to utilize in a dangerous situation such as an accident or emergency, but it can also cause many accidents, so be sure to use it in a safe way.

To all our customers and drivers out there on the road, stay safe!  Here are the top cell phone accessories for automotive at Amazon.