Capitalize On Your Commute
- Adam Garrett
- Jul 31, 2023
- 7 min read
Updated: Oct 3, 2024
If you find yourself getting into tickets or accidents due to distraction, or if you just want to reduce the possibility of the 2 while boosting your effective use of time while driving, I have some advice. Keep in mind that I am not an attorney and that you should check the law, especially state law, prior to doing some of the below as laws vary at the moment and over time:
Know yourself.
What might be good for some people might not be good for others. For instance, while some may be able to listen to something stimulating while driving, others may get too lost in thought to pay enough attention to the road.
Pulling over is an option.
If you really need to do something that will require too much attention for you to safely or legally drive, understand that pulling over is an option. If you need to pull over, be sure to do it safely, as some accidents and even fatalities can occur when people get out of their car in an unsafe area or when someone stops in an intersection. I once got into an accident myself while driving downhill in snowwy conditions when someone else had stopped in the middle of the road, blocking both lanes of traffic. I avoided the cars parked in the middle of the road, but didn’t avoid the guardrail.
Know the law
Know the law, especially your state laws. Some states allow some calls with restrictions (i.e. VA), while that’s not the case in all states. Some of the below isn’t all legal in all states, such as the earpiece for calls I mention below.
Have a physical & digital system setup in advance,
Have a physical & digital system setup in advance, so that when the time comes to drive, you’re in an excellent position to maximize your commute, not break the law, and not get into a wreck.
Use voice-activated instructions.
Use a program that connects to your phone for voice activated instructions, whether it’s from a device built into your car when you purchased it or whether you add a separate device. I use Android Auto to make notes, have texts read aloud to me when I receive them while driving, respond to texts with voice to text (which works a lot better on a newer/high end phone; I use the Samsung Galaxy S-22 Ultra as of 10/24/22), use Google maps including using my voice to enter a destination, & to make calls while driving. I also use Android Auto for things like sending myself audio based texts of thoughts I need to write down while driving.
Use steering wheel controls.
If you have a steering wheel with built in features to help with you capitalize on your commute, use them. I raise the volume, answer calls, and activate voice activated texts on my steering wheel.
Advanced Accident Prevention Controls of Vehicles
If you have adaptive cruise control & lane change assist/warning on your vehicle, use them regularly. I upgraded my car primarily to have access to some of the latest technology here. Newer can be substantially better when it comes to quality if comparing the same type of vehicle.
Use hard wire connections to your phone when driving.
Before departure, connect your phone via hard wire to your car for charging/use (or put it in the appropriate location if you have a charging station with no wire), then put it in a location out of reach, such as in the glove compartment, enclosed center console in a way that doesn’t damage the wire or the console, etc.
Consider upgrading your car.
If your problem is significant/dangerous, your current car isn’t great on commute time efficiency & safety features, and you can budget it with no car payment or at least half of the car’s price with a low purchase period & low interest rate (which I did, with $20k down on an approx. $30k vehicle and a <2% interest 36 month loan), do like I did and consider replacing your car for one that has better automatic safety features (including automatic emergency braking that is effective at high speeds [most aren’t], adaptive cruise control that keeps working in heavy rain, lane change avoidance correction/warning/assist, blind spot warning (ideally located within instead of near your mirrors) a display that is closer to eye level than most displays, etc. Adjust your safety settings to the maximum that they can be if available; you’ll have more false alarms, but false alarms are better than accidents. Also consider a vehicle that is better at voice activated integrations. I use Android auto extensively, including for calls, texts, and notes via audio. I also use certain integrated options built into my steering wheel for activating audio instructions.
Use built in Bluetooth audio or acquire 3rd party products.
If you don’t have great built-in Bluetooth audio from your car speakers, consider either: a. Buying a 3rd party option to connect to your speakers & a 3rd party microphone b. Buying a trucker style 1 earpiece noise-canceling device. I didn’t always use one but did for a long time (the latest one I had, and still have, is the Plantronics Voyager 104 Bluetooth Headset, Over the Head Headset with Microphone Built for Truckers) before upgrading my car.
For >1 hr commute, consider text auto-replies.
Setup text auto-replies for when you drive if you have a long drive, so that people can understand that you’re not in a good position to text and drive. I use the app Drivemode for this task. If needed, using Drivemode, turn off any notification of texts and any notification of calls while driving. If you have something like android auto setup, you get lots of calls/texts for work, & speed is important, you may want to still get notifications and may still want to respond immediately if you can do so legally/safely via steering wheel controls and voice activated controls like I use. I generally don’t like to use auto-replies unless I’ll be unavailable for 2+ hrs since too many auto-replies can be annoying to people that you are frequently in contact with.
Consider options for pre-programmed changes to voicemail.
Especially if people call you regularly for work, & sometimes those matters are urgent, setup varying kinds of voicemails, including one for driving, so that if someone calls, they have a better understanding if you don’t pick up. Before you take off for a drive, setup the pertinent voicemail so that if you can’t pickup (i.e. if you’re on the line with someone else, or if it’s illegal in your state to drive and talk on the phone), people know you’re not just avoiding them. I use Youmail & have dozens of options I've pre-recorded.
Have planned audiobooks, music, podcasts, voice-activated calls, & otherwise.
Have planned audiobooks, music, podcasts, voice activated calls, and/or otherwise planned in advance & available for your driving time, ideally with options to fast forward, rewind, and skip between options. Be sure that whatever options you have, you can keep going with it throughout your anticipated driving time plus unanticipated traffic. If you want to read something, but there’s no audio available, consider text to audio programs that you can put on your phone. I use Narrators Voice for that, though please let me know if you find something better, as I’m not the biggest fan of it. If you are a Christian, here are some recommendations.
If looking for audiobooks, Librivox has many classics free with ads in the public domain.
Use a watch connected to your phone & turn off alarms prior to hitting the road.
If you use a watch that connects with your phone, it's possible to do more than what Android auto allows right from your watch, like turning off an alarm, but be sure that whatever you're doing is legal. Generally speaking I recommend turning off all alarms to your phone prior to hitting the road so that you won't be distracted mid-drive.
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About the Author: Adam Garrett - 3rd Generation REALTOR®
Adam is the 3rd generation in a line of award-winning real estate agents serving SE VA. He has served full time at Garrett Realty Partners since May 2014 when he joined the marketing department before transitioning to full-time sales to assist buyers and sellers in February 2015. He believes that an educated buyer or seller makes the best decisions, & is dedicated to helping with that both digitally & on-site physically for buyers & sellers. He's also available for referrals to real estate agents around the globe. In several capacities, his resources & direct offerings for assisting sellers & assisting buyers are either unmatched or are top 1% for the SE VA area, and in some cases, nationwide. Not stopping after closing, he also provides information for tenants, landlords, & homeowners.
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