In last week’s blog I wrote about teen driving and the reality of how many teens will be involved in accidents before graduation. This week I discuss more about distracted driving and how you can make a difference and possibly save a life maybe your own by committing to some best practice driving. So, what is distracted driving and how can it be prevented to save lives?
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is an agency of the Executive Branch of the U.S. government, part of the Department of Transportation (DOT) that describes its mission as “Save lives, prevent injuries & reduce vehicle-related crashes. They describe distracted driving as, “an activity that diverts attention from driving.”
According to the NHTSA one of the most common forms of distracted driving is cell phone use. This includes texting and scrolling through social media while driving.
The NHTSA states that sending or reading texts typically takes your eyes off the road approximately 5 seconds. Driving at highway speeds (55MPH) would equate to driving with your eyes closed for the length of a football field.
It’s been reported that each day in the United States 9 people are killed and more than 1,000 are injured in automobile crashes that are reported to involve distracted driving.
How can you help? While driving put your phone down and on “Do Not Disturb”. Then keep your eyes on the road and hands upon the wheel. These simple choices could save a life.