April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month – but awareness is important year-round. Whether it’s answering a text, choosing your favorite music, setting your navigation, drinking coffee, or something else, there are plenty of distractions on the road.
Using a cell phone and other distractions have deadly consequences. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that on a typical day, nine people are killed and hundreds more injured in distracted driving-related crashes. In 2020 alone, distracted driving killed 3,142 people, a 10 percent increase from 2019.
What’s more, the NHTSA says that sending or reading text messages takes a person’s eyes off the road for five seconds, so at 55 miles per hour, that’s like driving the length of an entire football field with your eyes closed!
What can you do? Follow these tips to help ensure safety out on the road.
DRIVERS
- If you need to send a text, pull over in a safe location and park. Stopping for a few extra minutes could save your life.
- Have your passengers act as your “designated texter” and allow them to respond to calls or messages.
- Avoid scrolling through apps and social media while driving. If you have to, put your phone in the trunk, glove box, or back seat while driving.
- Use the “Do Not Disturb” feature that most smartphones have to prevent calls or texts from coming in while you’re driving.
PASSENGERS
- Remind your family, friends, or coworkers that driving should be the only thing they are focused on. No distractions.
- If your driver is texting or is distracted, tell them to stop and focus on the road.
Join us to raise awareness of the dangers of distracted driving and help make the roads safer for everyone by sharing these tips!
