April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month
Keep your family, friends and other drivers safe by reducing distractions while driving. Join us in recognizing April as Distracted Driving Awareness Month by doing your part to make our roads safer!
Distracted Driving is an Accident Waiting to Happen
We all know that driving while distracted is dangerous, but it is also avoidable. Traffic safety experts classify distractions into three main types: Manual, Visual and Cognitive.
- Manual distractions are those where you move your hands from the wheel.
- Visual distractions are those where you focus your eyes away from the road.
- Cognitive distractions happen when your mind wanders away from the task of driving.
Some examples of the above distractions are:
- Cell Phones
- Car Stereos
- Passengers
- GPS Devices
- Eating or Drinking
Stop the Texts and Stop the Wrecks
Texting involves ALL THREE types of driving distractions listed above.
The National Safety Council reports that cell phone use while driving leads to 1.6 million crashes each year, and over 400,000 injuries occur each year from accidents caused by texting while driving.
Over 84% of drivers recognize the danger from cell phone distractions and find it “unacceptable” that drivers text or send an email while driving. Nevertheless, 36% of these same people admit to having read or sent a text or email while driving.
Do Your Part to Keep the Roads Safe
Make sure you and other drivers get home safely by practicing good driving habits and avoiding distractions. Keep your cell phone in your glove box or purse while driving. Stop if you need to have something to eat. Pull over if passengers, especially small children, are distracting you.
Be aware. Be alert. Be safe.
