In 2010, the U.S. House of Representatives designated April as Distracted Driving Awareness Month in order to educate Americans about the dangers of using a smart phone or other electronic device while driving. Despite warnings that the use of an electronic device while driving can lead to crashes, injuries and even death, many Americans still continue to use one while driving.
According to a recent newsletter published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, at any given moment across America, more than 600,000 drivers are using cell phones or manipulating electronic devices behind the wheel. With that many people texting or talking while driving, it should come as no surprise that more than 3,000 people were killed in distraction-related crashes in 2011 and more than 300,000 were injured.
During the month of April, the National Safety Council urges all Americans to:
- Stop using cell phones while driving.
- Understand the dangers of cognitive distraction to the brain.
- Inform people who call you while driving that you would be happy to continue the conversation once they have reached their destination.
- Tell others about the dangers of cell phone distracted driving.
Most drivers simply do not understand the dangers involved with driving while operating an electronic device. However, the fact that drivers who use hand-held devices are four times more likely to get into crashes serious enough to injure themselves should be a sobering statistic. Additionally, text messaging while driving creates a crash risk 23 times worse than driving while not distracted. Sending or receiving a text takes a driver’s eyes off the road for an average of 4.6 seconds, the equivalent of driving the entire length of a football field going 55 miles an hour while blindfolded.
Despite these facts, one in two drivers say they will answer their phone while driving and one in four say they place calls while driving. Most Americans believe that they can handle texting while driving, and it is only when other drivers do it that it becomes dangerous. The facts show that there is no way to text and drive safely, and having wrong ideas about this reality leads to consequences that are potentially tragic and permanent.
To learn more about Distracted Driving Awareness Month, please visit www.nsc.org
Leave A Comment