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April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month

ATLANTA, GA., (April 5, 2021) — AAA urges all drivers to pay attention and stay focus on the road during National Distracted Driving Awareness month and all year long. All it takes is one distraction and your life can change in seconds. Any distractions that takes focus off the road can put your life and the lives of others in danger.

“Distracted driving includes anything that takes the driver’s attention off the road,” said Montrae Waiters, spokeswoman, AAA – The Auto Club Group. “Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, texting, and talking on a cell phone are not only risky behaviors but also illegal.”

Top 3 Risky Distractions

• Cellphone use
• In-vehicle technology
• Passengers in the vehicle

Anything that diverts attention from driving – eating and drinking, adjusting the navigation, or picking your next podcast can result in a fatal injury. Over 22 percent of distraction-affected crashes involved confirmed use of a smartphone. This underscores that while smartphone use is most frequently blamed for driver distraction, there are many other causes of distraction-affected crashes.

According to 2019 data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration:

• Distracted driving crashes killed 3,142 people in the United States – an average of 9 deaths per day.
• That number was up 10 percent from the year before (2,839 deaths in 2018).

Sobering statistics

• Looking away from the road for just two seconds doubles the risk of a crash.
• Five seconds of reading an email or text is like driving across a football field while blindfolded.
• Mental distractions last longer than you think and can cause a dangerous crash or fatality. Mental distraction can last up to 27 seconds after dialing, texting or changing the radio station.
• New teen drivers are 3x as likely as adults to be involved in a deadly crash. Georgia has a graduated driver licensing system to help 15-year-olds gradually learn the rules of the road under less risky conditions.

Despite what some drivers may think, hands-free is not risk-free. Even with your eyes on the road and your hands on the wheel, you are not safe unless your mind focuses on the drive.

AAA’s Top Tips to Avoid Distractions While Driving

• Prepare for your drive. Set vehicle systems like GPS, seats, mirrors, climate controls and sound systems before hitting the road. Decide on your route and check traffic conditions ahead of time. And please, finish dressing and personal grooming at home – before you get on the road.
• Disable or stow electronics. Never use text messaging, email, video games or internet functions, including those built into the vehicle, while driving. Stow your smartphone away, turn it to airplane mode, or activate call/text blocking features.
• Stay focused. Do not let anything divert your attention. Be sure to actively scan the road, use your mirrors, and watch out for pedestrians and cyclists. If you have passengers, enlist their help as a “designated texter.” Ask them to answer your calls, respond to texts and program the navigation.
• Take the pledge to drive distraction free or learn more about distracted driving at aaa.com/dontdrivedistracted.

Georgia Law

• Prohibits hand-held cell phone or any electronic device use for all drivers.
• Prohibits all drivers from text messaging while driving (48 states).

 

Visit the AAA Georgia Newsroom

Twitter @AAAGeorgia  

About AAA – The Auto Club Group

The Auto Club Group (ACG) is the second largest AAA club in North America with more than 14 million members across 14 U.S. states, the province of Quebec and two U.S. territories. ACG and its affiliates provide members with roadside assistance, insurance products, banking and financial services, travel offerings and more. ACG belongs to the national AAA federation with more than 60 million members in the United States and Canada. AAA’s mission is to protect and advance freedom of mobility and improve traffic safety. For more information, get the AAA Mobile app, visit AAA.com, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.