April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month: 5 Tips to Stay Safe
Texting while driving is now one of the leading causes of death among teenage drivers according to a recent study by Cohen Children’s Medical Center. For young, novice drivers, distracted driving is compounded by the inexperience factor and increases the risk of a collision. But distracted driving adversely affects all age groups.
In 2021 alone, distracted driving killed 3,522 people. Distracted driving goes beyond simply texting to include some of the following:
- talking on a cell phone
- adjusting devices such as radios and GPSs
- grooming
- eating
- attending to children or pets, and
- interacting with other passengers in the vehicle
To help avoid distractions while driving, please follow these simple safety tips:
- Store or turn off cell phones while driving. If an emergency call must be made, pull safely over to the side of the road.
- Set your GPS, radio, and temperature controls before you begin your trip.
- If traveling with pets, be sure they are properly restrained. Even a minor crash can result in a major injury to a pet if it is not properly restrained.
- Avoid attending to children while operating a vehicle.
- If you drop an object while driving, leave it until you reach your destination
For more information on distracted driving from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration NHTSA, click here.
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