Hey Pay Attention!! Distracted Driving Kills!

Texting is not the only distraction while driving – I have seen people reading, eating, putting on makeup, and reaching for a child in the back seat.  Yikes! More than 3,000 people were killed in 2012, and the number is exponentially more in 2014.  According to www.distraction.gov, more than 70% of adults and teens admit that they read and text while driving.  Until our cars can drive themselves, we need to pay attention while we are driving !!

Distracted driving is anything that momentarily may take our attention away from driving our vehicle.  Because texting requires mental, visual, and muscle attention, it is an extremely alarming distraction.  Texting has been around for 20 years and about 9 BILLION text messages are being sent annually.  Young adults are the heaviest users of texting with an average daily usage of more than 80 texts sent and received each day.

www.itcanwait.com provides ideas on how to disengage from the texting distraction while driving.  If you send “#X” before you start your engine, your friends will be alerted that you are driving and that the next text can wait.  An idea is to draw an X on your thumb to remind you to “#X” before you put your vehicle in Drive.  “No text is Worth a Life”.

Many states have laws banning texting while driving, so not only is it dangerous, but it may be illegal. This is a disaster that is preventable!

Adults need to set a good example for younger drivers too.  Just because you may be an experienced driver does not mean that you can text or answer emails while you drive, even on the Interstate.  Your family loves and needs you, so PUT THE PHONE DOWN AND DRIVE!

Most importantly, as your Trusted Choice Insurance Agent, SouthGroup Insurance Gulf Coast wants you to know you can call on us with your questions or concerns seeking more helpful advice or answers to your pressing insurance questions. A full insurance review is always your best bet to make sure you have all of the adequate coverage for your personal insurance needs. Remember, we offer a personalized insurance review to anyone who is interested at no charge – just visit any one of our 3 convenient coastal locations!

We are your LOCAL Trusted Choice Advisors, SouthGroup-Gulf Coast http://www.southgroupgulfcoast.com ,  SALES AND SERVICE AGENTS: Angelyn Treutel Zeringue, Tammy Garfield, Tammy Hogue, Brittany Jones, Denise Russell, Melissa Moran, Alex Treutel, Anne Gillam, Ashlie Moody, Michael Reso, Mark Strickland, and Whitney Zimmerman at SouthGroup Gulf Coast. You can reach us by snail-mail or in person: 412 Hwy 90, Suite 6, Bay St Louis MS 39520, email: atreutel@southgroup.net , phone: 228-466-4498 fax:888-415-8922,  FaceBook www.facebook.com/southgroup.gulfcoast, or Twitter www.twitter.com/atreutel !

We have 3 Gulf Coast locations to serve you - 2505 Pass Road - Biloxi, 5400 Indian Hill-Diamondhead, and 412 Hwy 90 Suite 6-Bay Saint Louis, MS. We write coverage in 40 different states and can assist you with Mississippi insurance, Louisiana insurance, and Alabama insurance and many other states. Insurance is stressful, but we make saving easy.  We help you save money on insurance!