What I Learned From a Car Accident Caused By My Cell Phone

I have been involved in an accident where cell phone usage was the cause. I was actually the person using the cell phone at that time.

I was leaving for my first day at my new job, driving my brand new car. My cellphone rang and it was my brother. I was hesitant to answer it since I didn't have a Bluetooth at that time but I answered the call anyway. I had one hand on the wheel and the other holding my cellphone while I was trying to cross an intersection with no signal light on it. I thought that it was safe so I started crossing the intersection. My brother was telling a story and I was too into it that I forgot to check a second time for oncoming traffic. So I crossed the intersection and saw the oncoming car and it was too late for me to back up so I slammed on my brakes. All that I remember was the impact of both cars. The driver of the other vehicle struck the driver side of my car. If I didn't slam on my breaks she could have struck the actual side where my door was at. I was sitting still for a few minutes trying to figure out what happened when I heard someone knocking at my window. I was shaking so someone else had to grab my cellphone from the passenger's seat and started talking to my brother. It took me a while to finally realize what has happened. They had called my brother and my husband to let them know what had happened and they both immediately came running to where the accident took place.

Nobody got hurt by the accident, not even myself. But I have to say that it was one of the most horrible experience in my life. It took me a few weeks to be able to get behind the wheel again. And when I finally started driving again, I never once used my cellphone unless I had the Bluetooth in my ear. But I try not to be on the phone while I'm driving because I know that I easily get distracted and I don't want the same thing to happen again.

The only advice I can give to people out there is to not use their cellphones while they're driving. You can always pull over if you really feel the need to answer your cellphone or just wait until you get home. And for those who doesn't get easily distracted, buy a Bluetooth or a regular headset. It is much safer than holding a phone on one hand and trying to drive with the other. And for those parents who are teaching your teenagers how to drive, please make sure that you remind them of these things. Tell them NEVER to text while driving. That is worse than talking to someone on the phone because texting will take their eyes away from the road and that is never safe. I work for an insurance company and you have no idea how many accidents are caused by cellphone usage. There are many fatal accidents caused by it, not just a fender-bender. So let's teach our kids and ourselves. Be a safe driver. It has its rewards, especially with your auto insurance.