How a car mount for my phone made me a distraction-free driver

BY Whitney Gonzalez | Contributor, @whitneygonzalez

With AT&T’s “It Can Wait” campaign and others similar to it, it’s hard to say that some people are unaware of the dangers of distracted driving. Of those who are aware, only a select few actually practice safe, distraction-free driving. Up until recently, I was a distracted driver who ignored safety risks in order to remain connected.

Let’s be honest, commutes are boring – especially long ones. My commute is over an hour long and in order to make the time pass, I used to browse my phone, keep an eye on email and even text my friends and family while driving.

The change for me began when I started using Waze, a community-based traffic and navigation app. The app’s tagline is “Outsmarting traffic together,” and it stays true to that by sending hazard alerts and switching your route if there is a faster route available – I could talk about how much I love this app for days. (I hope to share a review on Be Car Chic soon!) Anyway, I was in need of a convenient – and safe – place to put my phone so I could keep an eye on the app while driving.

I hit up Amazon and bought this car mount for my phone and my driving habits changed drastically! The action of placing my phone on the mount makes me aware that I shouldn’t be using it while driving, so even when I’m stuck in traffic and want so badly to check my Instagram feed, I refrain.

Other things that have changed during my commute include:

What I listen to: I listen to books and podcasts now, which makes me feel productive during what I used to consider a wasted hour.

How I communicate: I can’t say I don’t text while driving because my phone’s voice-to-text allows me to send messages easily and safely. I’m even able to monitor emails as I receive them. My notifications display long enough for me to determine whether an email requires an immediate action or if it can wait until I get home.

Needless to say, I highly recommend car mounts for phones. Many are universally compatible and fit most phones, so why not give it a try?

How do you remain distraction-free while driving? Let’s discuss in the comments below!