Eating, fiddling with the stereo or GPS, putting on makeup, and using a cell phone while driving are all considered forms of distracted driving by the National Highway Safety Administration. It’s essentially anything that takes one’s attention from the road. The NHSA reports that in 2015, 391,000 injuries and nearly 3,500 deaths due to car accidents in the U.S. that involved distracted drivers. In an effort to curb these behaviors and increase safety for all on the road, most states have enacted distracted driving laws and are stepping up enforcement.

Texting While Driving

It has been estimated that reading or sending a text takes one’s eyes off the road for five seconds. At 55 miles per hour, that’s the equivalent of driving the length of a football field with your eyes closed. In response, 14 states have banned all hand-held cell phone use by drivers. In 2009, Arkansas enacted “Paul’s Law,” banning texting and driving on Arkansas roads. The law was named for a father of three who was killed by a driver sending a text message. In addition, drivers over 18 but under 21 years of age may not use hand-held phones, and those under 18 and school bus drivers may not use cell phones at all while driving, except in an emergency. Further, use of hand-held cell phones is prohibited in school and highway work zones.

In 2017, Arkansas’ texting law was updated to add some teeth and make it clear that posting to social media while driving was not an accepted activity under the law. The language now prohibits use of any “wireless communications device while operating a motor vehicle” to write, send, read or access a message or social networking site. It is expressly permitted, however, to enter a phone number to make a call, or to use a phone’s GPS navigation. The 2017 change also increases penalties significantly, making a first offense punishable by a fine of up to $250 (previously only a warning), and each subsequent offense subject to fines of up to $500. If you’re in an accident and found to have been using a wireless device at the time, this will be included in the accident report, and you’ll be assessed double the usual fine.

Sleep-Deprived Driving

• Difficulty focusing
• Heavy eyelids, frequent yawning
• Drifting from your lane
• Memory lapses, missed road signs or exits
• Feeling restless or irritable