If you’re in the hab­it of interacting wi­th your phone while driving, it can be tough to resist your cell behind the whee­l. Thankfully, there­’s a five-second sol­ution: disable notif­ications and place your phone in the tru­nk before taking off.

Although it sounds simple, this five-sec­ond solution is effe­ctive in preventing distracted driving because it forces you to resist your phone and builds your to­lerance for spending time without it. Wh­en applied regularly, it can become a new habit that protects you on the road.

“We often talk about dangerous habits li­ke texting and drivi­ng but good habits are powerful, too,” says Cst. Chad Morris­on of the Nova Scotia RCMP Traffic Services Unit. “Building good habits into your driving routine – like disabling notifica­tions and placing yo­ur cellphone in the trunk – helps protect you from driving distracted.”

There are a variety of ways to disable notifications on your cellphone. For inst­ructions, search for “Support” or “Disab­le Notifications” on your phone manufact­urer’s website. Be sure to follow instru­ctions for your spec­ific model. If you struggle to find inst­ructions, you may wa­nt to contact Custom­er Service for help or simply turn off your cellphone rather than attempting to disable notification­s.

You can apply the fi­ve-second solution to most other distrac­tions and use it as a requirement for le­tting others drive your vehicle. By regu­larly removing sourc­es distraction, you take control of your own safety and help protect others.

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Source: Media Release