All Posts

Distracted Driving Awareness Month: Are You A Distracted Driver?

Are you a Distracted Driver? According to the National Safety Council, one in three Americans should say “yes.” April has been dubbed National Distracted Driving Awareness Month and there are plenty of resources to learn about how to decrease the number of distracted drivers.

Distraction.gov is the best resource for those exploring the facts about Distracted Driving. The website features pledges, testimony, data and television commercials about distracted driving and its effects. One particular commercial featured on Distraction.gov places text message jargon– like “LOL” and “OMW”– in front of teen drivers. Oversized concrete letters appear out of nowhere while young motorists are distracted by their phones. As one would assume from the messaging, they crash. This video illustrates slow response time by turning a distracted driver into a zombie.
The DOT and The National Safety Council have also made pledges available online. The Distraction.gov pledge is an outline of bullet points to recite to oneself or others. The National Safety Council’s version of the pledge requires a name and email address before revealing the entire pledge and safety tips. Both websites encourage business leaders to download pamphlets, distribute information and urge employees to take the pledge.

Distracted driving data now tells us that cell phone use on the road is a much a threat for truck drivers as it is for young drivers. Both policy makers and those in the industry now realize that in-dash tablets and on-board diagnostics touchscreens represent a potentially a fatal distraction if not used and installed properly. Fleet owners across America have taken steps to penalize drivers who use their phones while on the road. Fleet operators with large numbers of drivers are particularly aware of the law of numbers that comes with distracted drivers: for every distracted moment on the road, the chance of an accident increases. Acute awareness of the rig is critical for drivers.

The Great Multitasking Lie infographic, created by The National Safety Council, takes four popular myths about distracted driving and breaks them down using real data. The infographic even cites a study demonstrating that a driver talking on the phone has a slower reaction time than those one driving under the influence. That’s information we won’t soon forget.