We all know “that” person (or group of people) who is helplessly addicted to their smartphone. These people can barely make it ten minutes without checking their phone, hoping for a text message or a Facebook notification. It’s strange to think about what these people did before there was such a thing as a smartphone (“Oh, the horror!”).
According to a recent article in the Huffington Post, you are probably also one of these smartphone-addicted people. A survey cited in the article and conducted by Time magazine found that 84 percent of survey respondents said that they could not go a single day without their smartphone. Not even one single day! The survey also found that 50 percent of all respondents and 80 percent of 18-24 year-old respondents sleep with their phone next to them. Talk about a modern day teddy bear!
Smartphones are extremely useful; your friend can send you an address and you can pull up a map with directions to that place within seconds. You can video chat with a friend almost anywhere. On a road trip and you’re hungry for falafel? Whip out your smartphone and it will show you where you can get falafel and anything else your heart desires. Did you know that Community Insurance even has a mobile site that is accessed by scanning the image on the back of our business cards? Check it out the next time you stop in our office!
Obviously, smartphones have major benefits that can make your life easier. However, where does the line fall between usefulness and serious addiction?
One situation in which you should always avoid using your smartphone is while you are driving. Texting, or doing anything on a smartphone, while driving is a serious distraction and leads to many avoidable accidents each year. Put away your phone when driving or pull over to use it if you absolutely need to. Keeping all your focus on the road will keep you and other drivers safe and help you avoid making car insurance claims.
What do you think? Are you addicted to your phone? If so, do you think you can put it away when you are driving?
-Sam