EVANSVILLE, IN — Atlas Van Lines, is spreading the word on driving laws concerning distracted driving and passenger safety. Atlas is in the business of helping people go new places and make big changes, and moving from one state to another adds extra details to consider. In an effort to keep drivers and passengers safe on the road, Atlas released an infographic sharing state driving laws on texting, cell phone use, child restraints and seat belt laws, as well as some unusual driving laws to be aware of when traveling in certain states.

“Moving is a big change, and the differences in state-by-state laws are just one of the many details to consider when crossing any state line,” said Rick Kirby, director of safety at Atlas Van Lines. “Just as we take great care in safely packing and transporting the material goods for our customers, we want them to stay safe on the road while making their transition. It’s important to stay informed and alert, and we hope our infographic serves as a useful tool.”

State Driving Laws by Atlas Van Lines

Some of the highlights of the driving laws infographic include:

Stow the Smartphone

Whether in a car full of family members or alone, stowing the smartphone is necessary. Drivers who use a handheld device are four times more likely to be in a crash than non-distracted drivers. In fact, the use of a cell phone delays driver reactions as much as having a blood alcohol concentration of .08 percent, and on average, texting takes the driver’s focus off the road for an average 4.6 seconds.

Click it or Ticket!

Atlas also addresses passenger safety and focuses on child restraints within the infographic. Three out of four child restraints are not used properly, but the use of booster seats for children lowers the risk of crash-related injuries by 59 percent compared to small children in seat belts. For adults, the risk of crash-related injuries is reduced by 50 percent when wearing a seat belt. In fact, more than 75,000 lives were saved because of seat belts from 2004-2008.

For more information on driving laws or to view the full infographic, visit http://www.atlasvanlines.com/infographics/state-driving-laws/.