Monthly Cause: Distracted Driving

By: Courtney Henson

The month of April is, among other causes, Distracted Driving Awareness. Being a school filled with new and inexperienced drivers, Distracted Driving awareness is very appropriate. Every day in the United States, 8 people die of an incident involving a distracted driver. Distracted driving can be categorized as texting and driving, drinking and driving, driving under the influence, and trivial things like, adjusting the AC, changing the music, taking your eyes off the road, eating while driving, and so much more. The most usual form of distracted driving is texting and driving which causes 1 of every 4 car accidents.  

Teenagers are the most common demographic to experience distracted driving accidents. Because the drivers in this age group are newer to driving, they believe they are indestructible on the road. 16% of all distracted driving accidents in 2020 involved drivers under the age of 20. These under the age of 20 accidents are also 3 times as fatal as other accidents. It is important to be wary of how you are driving but also the driving of others around you. 

With how common distracted driving accidents are, they are really easy to prevent. The easiest way to avoid distracted driving accidents is to not multitask on the road, put away the phone, make any adjustments to your seat, AC, and music before leaving, and always keep your eyes on the road. Other safe options include, leaving early enough to plan your trip ahead. This can help to prevent looking at your phone or GPS in a hurry. Avoid eating on the road, although it might be tempting to drive through and eat on the road, this is extremely dangerous and distracting, it takes your eyes off the road and hands off the steering wheel. And most important of all, pull over or wait until you reach your destination to check your phone and notifications. 

As teenagers continue to migrate to the roadways, it is important to remember that those notifications on your phone are not worth your life. Always practice safe and focused driving on the road, as well as in the passenger and back seat.

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