Distracted driving claimed more than 3,000 lives in the United States in 2023.National Highway Traffic Safety officials say texting is the most alarming distraction while driving.Because reading or sending a text can take your eyes off the road for five seconds, at 55 mph, that is like driving the length of an entire football field with your eyes closed.Dr. Mikayla Kress, based out of Palm Beach Gardens, said our habit of checking our phones for notifications forms an addiction-like dependency. Your neighborhood: Local coverage from WPBF 25 NewsShe said most people have a bias where they assume something like a crash will not happen to them.”With teens, especially, they have that higher level of impulsivity,” Kress said. “They think, ‘Oh, I’m invincible. Nothing’s going to happen to me. I’m going to look down and check my phone real quick and it’s OK. It’s a red light. It doesn’t matter.'”To fight the urge to grab the phone, Kress said people should practice mindfulness, even before entering into a vehicle.”Practicing it on the day-to-day could be really helpful,” she said.Kress said it’s best not to focus on texting somebody back, beating the GPS time of arrival, or later plans, but really focus on what is going on in the car and surrounding it.Get the latest news updates with the WPBF 25 News app. You can download it here.”You think of one thing that you hear, see, smell, taste, feel, and it really brings you back to the present moment. It’s very simple.”Kress also recommended taking some deep breaths to regulate your nervous system and putting your phone on “Do Not Disturb” to avoid the temptation of checking notifications behind the wheel.”The fact that it is hard probably indicates there’s some level of compulsion in checking that phone, a little bit of dependency and maybe addictive behavior,” Kress said. “The inherent risk of driving is prevalent among all of us, regardless of how long we’ve been driving, the kind of vehicle or whatever road we’re on.”

Distracted driving claimed more than 3,000 lives in the United States in 2023.

National Highway Traffic Safety officials say texting is the most alarming distraction while driving.

Because reading or sending a text can take your eyes off the road for five seconds, at 55 mph, that is like driving the length of an entire football field with your eyes closed.

Dr. Mikayla Kress, based out of Palm Beach Gardens, said our habit of checking our phones for notifications forms an addiction-like dependency.

Your neighborhood: Local coverage from WPBF 25 News

She said most people have a bias where they assume something like a crash will not happen to them.

“With teens, especially, they have that higher level of impulsivity,” Kress said. “They think, ‘Oh, I’m invincible. Nothing’s going to happen to me. I’m going to look down and check my phone real quick and it’s OK. It’s a red light. It doesn’t matter.'”

To fight the urge to grab the phone, Kress said people should practice mindfulness, even before entering into a vehicle.

“Practicing it on the day-to-day could be really helpful,” she said.

Kress said it’s best not to focus on texting somebody back, beating the GPS time of arrival, or later plans, but really focus on what is going on in the car and surrounding it.

Get the latest news updates with the WPBF 25 News app. You can download it here.

“You think of one thing that you hear, see, smell, taste, feel, and it really brings you back to the present moment. It’s very simple.”

Kress also recommended taking some deep breaths to regulate your nervous system and putting your phone on “Do Not Disturb” to avoid the temptation of checking notifications behind the wheel.

“The fact that it is hard probably indicates there’s some level of compulsion in checking that phone, a little bit of dependency and maybe addictive behavior,” Kress said.

“The inherent risk of driving is prevalent among all of us, regardless of how long we’ve been driving, the kind of vehicle or whatever road we’re on.”