We are all guilty of talking on the phone while driving, and the truth of the matter is most of us will continue to do so. Some of us drive while talking on the phone out of necessity, and some of us do so for no particular reason. The fact is we all know how unsafe this can be. There is really no good reason to throw safety out the window completely. There are lots of good hands free devices on the market that can allow us to talk on the phone and keep both hands on the wheel.

There are several good reasons why we all have cell phones these days: Let's look at a few:

• Safety: Cell Phones make it easier to call for help in an emergency when we are out and about.
• Access: We can stay in touch with our family and colleagues 24 hours a day and 7 days a week.
• Saving Money: It's usually cheaper to call long-distance from our cars than from our homes, and in some cases free.

With all of the reasons to have a cell phone, there are just as many reasons to use them safely. They can be a great tool for a variety of reasons, but common sense should be used also. Here are a few of the things you can do to keep yourself safer when using your cell phone while in your car:

• Keep your phone within easy reach while driving
• Do not talk on the phone in heavy traffic or hazardous weather conditions
• Never take notes or look up phone numbers while driving
• Always try to place phone calls when you are not moving or merging into other lanes
• Do not engage in stressful or emotional conversations that could divert your attention from the road and the traffic around you
• Get to know all of your phones features
• Use your voicemail so you don't have to answer the phone in your car. This way you can check messages when you stop somewhere and reply then

Following these simple rules when you are using your phone while driving can help prevent unnecessary accidents. Don't take any risks you don't need to take while in your car. The safety of yourself and of those around you should always take precedence over any conversation. I have seen a lot of accidents that have been caused because someone was talking on their cell phone while driving. Some have been minor accidents and some more serious, especially in the larger cities where the traffic is heavier and moving faster. When you are trying to drive one handed in a highly congested area and moving along at anywhere from 50 to 70 MPH, you just don't have much time to react.

Driving and talking on that phone is never a good combination, but if you are going to do it then you really should consider using the hands free set that came with your phone or invest in a BlueTooth device. Why add to the statistics? We have the technology, and it surprises me that few people take advantage of it.

 One thing everyone should do at least in the northern states, is to make sure you carry your cell phone with you when doing any winter driving. This year we are experiencing extreme cold and above normal amounts of snowfall. Sliding into a ditch full of snow and getting trapped in your car can be bad enough, but not having your cell phone with you to be able to call for help would be quite unthinkable. Having your car stall out because the temperature drops to ten or twenty below zero due to your gas line freezing up could be a very dangerous thing, but if you can call for assistance immediately you have a much higher chance of getting out of there without the fear of freezing to death. Cell phone can be a danger when driving at times, but on the other hand they can also save your life.