Most drivers know better than to text while driving. But texting is not the only distraction. Changing a song, opening a playlist, or searching for a new album while driving can be just as dangerous.

A recent New York Times story discussed research finding that traffic deaths appear to increase on days when major new music is released. According to the researchers, streaming activity jumps on those days, and fatal crashes also rise. The likely explanation is not complicated: more drivers are using their phones and music apps when they should be watching the road.

For Georgia drivers, this is a useful reminder that distracted driving is not limited to texting. A driver who looks down to search Spotify, Apple Music, or another streaming app may travel the length of a football field without really seeing what is happening ahead. In that time, traffic can stop, a pedestrian can enter a crosswalk, or a vehicle can drift into another lane.

Georgia’s hands-free law was designed to reduce exactly this kind of risk. Drivers generally may not hold a phone or support it with their body while operating a vehicle. The law also restricts reading, writing, or sending text-based communications while driving. Although many people associate the law with texting, the safer rule is broader and simpler: set your phone before you drive, and leave it alone until you arrive.

Music apps can be especially tempting because they feel harmless. Skipping a song does not seem like a big decision. Neither does searching for a new release or restarting a playlist. But from a safety standpoint, the issue is whether it takes the driver’s eyes, hands, or attention away from the task of driving. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says distracted driving claimed 3,208 lives in 2024 and injured more than 315,000 people nationwide.

After a serious car wreck, distracted driving is not always obvious. The at-fault driver may not admit to using a phone. Police reports may not capture it. Witnesses may only know that a vehicle failed to brake, drifted out of a lane, or ran a red light. In some cases, phone records, vehicle data, app activity, dash-camera footage, or testimony from people in the vehicle may help show what was really happening in the seconds before impact.

That evidence can matter. In Georgia personal injury cases, proving that a driver was distracted can help establish negligence and explain why a crash occurred. It may also be important when an insurance company tries to shift blame or minimize the seriousness of what happened.

The safest approach is simple. Pick the music before the trip starts. Use voice controls only when they can be used safely. Hand the phone to a passenger when possible. And if something requires more attention, pull over.