Distracted Driving Awareness Month: Take The Pledge

Distracted Driving Awareness Month: Take The Pledge

April is National Distracted Driving Awareness month, so what better time to evaluate yourself and change bad driving habits? According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), distracted driving claimed 3,477 lives in 2015. The media puts heavy attention on texting and driving, but other types of distractions are just as deadly. Get the facts, get involved and keep our roads safe. Take the pledge today to end distracted driving. It could save your life.

What Is Distracted Driving?

Distracted driving is a risky behavior that diverts a person’s attention away from the primary task of driving and poses a danger to vehicle occupants and others. Distracted driving activities typically take a lot of thought and take your eyes off the road. Distracted driving activities include texting, using a cell phone, eating and drinking, grooming, reading, watching a video, adjusting the radio and even talking to other passengers.

Texting is the most alarming distraction as the average person takes their eyes off the road for five seconds at a time. At 55 miles per hour, that’s like driving the length of a football field with your eyes closed.

You cannot drive safely unless the task of driving has your full attention.

The Consequences

  • According to the National Safety Council (NSC), about 100 people die every day in car crashes and distractions are the top factor in fatal car crashes.
  • 94% of all car crashes are caused by driver error, meaning not primarily through mechanical errors or environmental factors.
  • 7% of drivers are using cell phones at any moment and thousands of people have died in crashes involving cell phones, even if they were using hands free mode.
  • Drivers looking out the windshield can miss seeing up to 50% of what’s around them when talking on any kind of cell phone because the field of view narrows while talking on a phone.
  • Recent studies have also shown that using voice-to-text is more distracting than typing texts by hand.

End Distracted Driving

The best way to end distracted driving is to educate everyone about the danger it poses and by giving advice on how to eliminate distracted driving activities.

  • Teens can be great messengers, so encourage them to speak up if they see a friend driving while distracted.
  • Parents need to lead by example as well as talk to their kids about the responsibilities that come with driving.
  • Encourage everyone you know to take the pledge to commit to distraction-free driving.
  • Be a voice in your community by supporting local laws, joining a local non-profit or speaking out on social media and community meetings.

If you or someone you love has been injured in a distracted driving accident, don’t wait. Contact the John Bales Attorneys today for help.