April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month!

April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month.  Let us take this opportunity to make sure the road stays safe for everyone. 

Distracted driving is any activity that could divert a person's attention away from the primary task of driving.All distractions endanger driver, passenger, and bystander safety. These types of distractions include:

• Texting
• Using a cell phone or smartphone
• Eating and drinking
• Talking to passengers
• Grooming
• Reading, including maps
• Watching a video
• Adjusting a radio, CD player, or MP3 player

But, because text messaging requires visual, manual, and cognitive attention from the driver, it is by far the most alarming distraction.

Check out these statistics:

Drivers who use hand-held devices are 4 times more likely to get into crashes serious enough to injure themselves.

Text messaging creates a crash risk 23 times worse than driving while not distracted.

Sending or receiving a text takes a driver's eyes from the road for an average of 4.6 seconds, the equivalent-at 55 mph-of driving the length of an entire football field, blind.

Driving while using a cell phone reduces the amount of brain activity associated with driving by 37%.

So make sure you and your loved ones are driving safely and responsibly!  Happy driving!

Get all the facts on distracted driving here: http://www.distraction.gov/content/get-the-facts/facts-and-statistics.html