Each July is Cell Phone Courtesy Month! These days, most of us have cell phones. It’s common for even young children to have one! Cell phones help us stay connected and are useful in all sorts of situations, from giving us directions when we’re lost to keeping us company when we’re bored. With all the advantages of cell phones, there are disadvantages as well. Sometimes we inconvenience others when we use our phones. Using a cell phone in certain situations can even put us in danger. A little courtesy goes a long way, so we’ve compiled a list of five tips for Cell Phone Courtesy Month.
1. Silence your cell phone in public.
Have you ever been working at the library or in a coffee shop, only to be interrupted by the person next to you, whose phone rings constantly and loudly? It’s super distracting and can get annoying quickly. Even vibrate mode can be loud sometimes. When you’re going out in public, try to silence your cell phone so as to not disturb others. It’s also nice to keep your phone silent whenever you’re spending time with someone. Of course, if you need to keep the sound on for emergencies, that’s understandable.
2. Avoid taking calls using speaker phone.
There seems to be someone in every grocery store or waiting room who has their conversation on speaker phone for everyone to hear. Try to avoid this if you can! Step away if you need to, and turn the volume down as low as possible. Any time you take a phone call in public, be mindful of those around you. Voices carry!
3. Don’t walk and text.
Pedestrians have a tendency to be in their own little world when they’re using their cell phones. Just because you’re on a sidewalk doesn’t mean that you can check out from your surroundings. Step off to the side to send your texts.
4. Take a moment to read your writing before hitting "Send."
Typos are common when communicating via cell phone. Usually people will understand what you mean, but sometimes autocorrect completely changes the meaning of a message, which could potentially make the recipient uncomfortable. Taking a moment to read what you’ve written before hitting send can help! Make sure you’re sending your message to the correct person. Many of us have sent a text or email to the wrong person, sometimes with disastrous consequences. Don’t send something you’ll regret because you’re in a rush. Slow down and think about whether or not you want to send what you’ve written, and only send it once you’re sure.
5. Do not use your phone while driving.
So many people use their cell phone while driving that it may feel easy or even necessary to do. The truth is, cell phones are a distraction, and we need all of our attention to be on the road while driving. Even if you look down at your phone for just a moment, you can never guarantee that it’ll be safe. According to NHTSA, distracted driving killed 2,841 people in 2018. There were even more non-fatal collisions. Any time your attention is off of driving, you’re putting yourself and others at risk.
We’re all guilty of forgetting cell phone courtesy from time to time. Make a conscious effort this month to examine your cell phone habits and see if there’s any room for improvement. If you want to learn more about ways to avoid distracted driving, take one of our online courses! Florida residents can take our Florida Wireless Communications Device Driving Safety Program course to learn all about cell phone laws in Florida and how to avoid distracted driving. We also offer online defensive driving courses in many states. Check out our website to see which courses we offer in your state!
Each July is Cell Phone Courtesy Month! These days, most of us have cell phones. It’s common for even young children to have one! Cell phones help us stay connected and are useful in all sorts of situations, from giving us directions when we’re lost to keeping us company when we’re bored. With all the advantages of cell phones, there are disadvantages as well. Sometimes we inconvenience others when we use our phones. Using a cell phone in certain situations can even put us in danger. A little courtesy goes a long way, so we’ve compiled a list of five tips for Cell Phone Courtesy Month.