What Is Distracted Driving?
- Distracted driving is any activity that diverts attention from driving, including talking or texting on your phone, eating and drinking, talking to people in your vehicle, fiddling with the stereo, entertainment or navigation system- anything that takes your attention away from safe driving.
Because of distracted driving every day at least nine Americans dies and more than 1,000 are injured in distracted driving crash.
What Can Be Done?
Many states have enacted laws forbidding the use of electronic devices while driving.
- Silence devices and put them out of reach before you begin driving. Check for messages once you arrive safely at your destination.
- Be a role model. Don’t let your children see you texting, talking on the phone, eating or performing other unnecessary tasks while driving.
- Raise awareness. Talk to your teens about driver safety. Encourage them to not ride with others that drive while distracted.
- As a passenger, tell the driver not to use his or her electronic device and offer to make the call, send the text, select the music or program the destination into the GPS for them.
Nobody wants to have to pay a $250, have insurance points added and possibly get your licensed suspended. Save a life and put down the phone.