April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month

Published On - April 5, 2021

Russ Schweikert

April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month. Take the pledge to focus on the road and save lives.

As technology evolves so do the distractions. But distracted driving is not limited to technology, there are many types of distractions that could get your mind and eyes off the road and put your life and other’s lives in danger.

 

 

According to the official government website distraction.gov:

 

  • 3,142 LIVES LOST IN CRASHES INVOLVING DISTRACTED DRIVERS IN 2019 — THAT’S 3,142 TOO MANY
  • 9 % FATAL CRASHES IN 2019 THAT INVOLVED DISTRACTED DRIVERS
  • 26,000 + APPROXIMATE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO DIED IN CRASHES INVOLVING DISTRACTED DRIVERS FROM 2012-2019

 

These are no doubt sobering statistics. So how do you stop distracted driving? Get educated about the risks. Many of us underestimate the small actions we take while driving and don’t think we could be distracted by them. Keep in mind that every no matter how small these actions seem or how little time they take, they could be deadly. If your eyes are off the road in a matter of a couple of seconds, it could lead to deadly consequences.

Here are some more facts about distracted driving from distraction.gov

  • Five seconds is the average time your eyes are off the road while texting. When traveling at 55mph, that’s enough time to cover the length of a football field blindfolded.
  • Headset cell phone use is not substantially safer than hand-held use.
  • Drivers in their 20s make up 27 percent of the distracted drivers in fatal crashes.
  • In 2013, 3,154 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes involving distracted drivers.
  • In 2013, 424,000 people were injured in motor vehicle crashes involving distracted drivers.
  • Engaging in visual-manual subtasks (such as reaching for a phone, dialing and texting) associated with the use of hand-held phones and other portable devices increased the risk of getting into a crash by three times.

So take the pledge this month to build new focused driving habits that would last a life time and teach your kids to do the same. Put that phone away, wait until you reach a rest area to make that call or return that text or eat that burger! All these  could wait because a lifetime of regrets is not worth it.