Everyday millions of Americans use their vehicle to go to work or school, run errands, or take a relaxing scenic cruise. Unfortunately, 9 people are killed each day due to distracted driving. You may think distracted driving only involves texting while behind the wheel but you can easily be distracted by:
Eating or drinking
Talking to passengers
Grooming
Reading a map
Adjusting the radio
And using your cell phone
Anything that takes your attention away from staying alert can be a distraction. The most dangerous are the ones that require cognitive attention from the driver such as texting.
In fact, 5 seconds is the average time your eyes are off the road while texting. When traveling at 55mph, that's enough time to cover the length of a football field blindfolded. (2009, VTTI)
Distraction.gov is a great resource for how to educate teens, parents, educators and employers about the dangers of distracted driving. They have videos, pledges, and sample company policies on distracted driving. They believe the best solution to prevent distracted driving is education.
We encourage everyone to be more aware of the dangers of distracted driving and to urge your family and friends to don’t drive distracted.