Dangers of Distracted Driving

April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month, but you should be aware of the dangers of taking your eyes off the road every day of every month

At the speed of 55 MPH, just five seconds of distracted driving is the same as driving the entire length of a football field with your eyes closed.

That’s according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which reports that distracted driving killed 3,522 people in 2021, which is the most recent data available.

What takes five seconds?

Reading or sending an email or text.
Turning around to honcho an argument between the kids in the back seat.
Looking for the nearest gas station in your navigation system.
Answering a ringing phone to grab it from the console.
Searching for a favorite song or playlist.
Eating.
Checking how you look in the vanity mirror.

dangers of texting while driving_evelynkanter — Graphic: CDC.gov

Distracted Driving: Dangers of Texting While Driving

Unfortunately, inexperienced young drivers are the ones most likely to be distracted.

Research by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that even though 96% of drivers say that texting and emailing while driving are serious or very serious threats to their safety, 39% admit to having read a text or email while driving in the past month, and 29% admit to typing a text or email while driving.

Distracted driving due to hand-held cellphone use is most prevalent among drivers who are 16 to 24 years old, according to the NHTSA’s National Occupant Protection Use Survey.

There is no nationwide ban on texting or using a cellphone while driving, but 48 states ban texting while driving, and 25 states ban the use of hand-held phones while driving.

Find out the laws in your state on the Governors Highway Safety Association website

Despite the state bans, distracted driving is still a major problem.

Be an example to new drivers in your family, and also future drivers – never text while driving yourself.

dangers of distracted driving include eating while driving_evelynkanter — Photo: The Hartford

Top Tips to Reduce Distracted Driving

Plan your trip in advance and program GPS systems, set mirrors, climate controls, etc., before you begin driving.
If it’s a rental car, familiarize yourself with its features before getting on the road.
Use message-taking functions and return calls when you’re stopped at a safe location. A stoplight is not a safe location.
Whenever possible, ask passengers to help you perform activities that may be distracting.
Secure mobile devices and any objects that may move around and distract you while driving.
If your driver is texting or otherwise distracted, tell them to stop and focus on the road.
Ask friends and family to join you in pledging not to drive distracted. Share your pledge on social media to spread the word and help save lives by using the hashtag #JustDrive.
Check the safety campaign U Drive. U Text. U Pay to remind drivers of the consequences of texting behind the wheel.

ecoXplorer Evelyn Kanter is a journalist with 25+ years of experience as a newspaper and magazine writer, radio & TV news producer & reporter, and author of guidebooks and smartphone apps – all focusing on travel, automotive, the environment and your rights as a consumer.