01-04-2025
AAA warns of distracted driving dangers at start of Distracted Driving Awareness Month
DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) – April 1 is not only April Fool's Day. It's also the start of Distracted Driving Awareness Month, and AAA is aiming to teach people how to be safer drivers.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, distracted driving was responsible for more than 3,300 deaths and nearly 300,000 injuries in 2022.
According to Ohio law, it is a primary offense to use a cell phone or electronic device while driving.
Kara Hitchens, Public and government affairs manager at AAA, said driving distracted is a selfish choice.
'Multi-tasking behind the wheel continues to be far too commonplace on our roadways, with many motorists downplaying the potential impacts,' said Hitchens. 'But the reality is that distracted drivers recognize the dangers yet selfishly put themselves and others at risk. Behind every statistic is a real person. A few moments of inattentiveness can change lives forever.'
The AAA Foundation's 2023 for Traffic Safety, which can be read in full here, found that 93% of drivers recognize the dangers of texting, emailing, and reading while driving. Despite this awareness, 27% of drivers self-reported sending a text/email, 37% said they read texts/emails, and 36% said they held/talked on a phone while driving in the past 30 days.
'While sending or reading a text takes your eyes off the road for only about 5 seconds, that's the equivalent of driving the length of an entire football field at 55 mph with your eyes closed,' said Hitchens.
There are two types of distracted driving, mental and physical, both divert the driver's attention away from the task of safe driving. The driver might remove:
Their eyes from the road.
Their hands from the wheel.
Their minds from the task of driving.
Other distractions beyond a cell phone include eating/drinking, smoking, talking with passengers, applying makeup, adjusting in-vehicle climate or radio controls and daydreaming.
'Many drivers are less aware of the dangers of these other distractions,' said Hitchens. 'Even if you put your cell phone away while behind the wheel, you could still be engaging in other activities that distract you from the roadway without realizing the risk.'
To learn more about the campaign, visit here.
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