Distracted Driving & More

Distracted driving involves any activity that takes the driver’s attention away from the primary task of driving. Distracted driving, impairment, speeding, and not wearing seat belts are all risky choices that can lead to serious injury and death. Teens, who are still learning the complex skills of driving, are particularly susceptible to distractions while behind the wheel. Don’t let you or your teen become another statistic. Here are the facts from Distraction.gov (the official US government website for distracted driving):

• Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for U.S. teens. Mile for mile, teens aged 16-19 are involved in 3 times as many fatal crashes as all other drivers. And 1 in 3 teens who text say they have done so while driving.
• According to NHTSA, 3,142 people nationwide were killed in 2020 in distraction-related crashes, with teens having the highest rate of distracted driving crashes involving a fatality.
• A Virginia Tech Transportation Institute study revealed that physically dialing a phone while driving increases the risk of a crash as much as 6 times. Texting is riskier still, increasing collision risk by 23 times.
• A recent AAA study shows that when a teen driver is carrying teen passengers, the fatality rate for occupants of other cars increases by 56 percent; for pedestrians and cyclists it increases by 17 percent; and for the teen driver, the fatality rate increases by 45 percent.

To combat this growing epidemic, we suggest the following:

• Set a good example: Kids observe and learn from their parents. Put your phone away while driving and only use it when you are safely pulled over. According to the Pew Research Center, 40 percent of teens aged 12 to 17 say they have been in a car when the driver used a cell phone in a way that put themselves and others in danger.
• Talk to your teen: Discuss the risks and responsibilities of driving and the danger of dividing their attention between a phone and the road. Show them the statistics related to distracted driving and urge them to share what they learn with their friends. Encourage them to speak up if they are a passenger in a car with a distracted driver.
• Establish ground rules: Set up family rules about not using the phone or other electronic devices while behind the wheel. Enforce the limits set by the Graduated Licensing Program (GDL).
• Sign a pledge: Have your teen take action by agreeing to a family contract about wearing safety belts, not speeding, not driving after drinking or using any drugs, and not using a cell phone behind the wheel. Agree on penalties for violating the pledge, including paying for tickets or loss of driving privileges.
• Other dangerous distractions: In addition to cell phone use, distracted driving can include eating, grooming, drinking, listening to or adjusting the radio or MP3 player, using the GPS, talking to passengers, or watching a video, just to name a few activities. Inexperienced drivers are particularly susceptible to these kinds of distractions.

Drugged driving

As more and more states legalize marijuana, it’s important to remember that just because it’s legal doesn’t mean it’s safe. Laws for operating under the influence of alcohol also apply to drugs. Almost any drug can affect your driving skills, including illegal drugs, prescription medicine, and even over-the-counter medicine. Smoking or ingesting marijuana makes it more difficult to respond to sights and sounds. This makes you dangerous as a driver; it lowers your ability to handle a quick series of tasks. The most serious problems occur when facing an unexpected event, such as a car coming out from a side street or a child running out between parked cars. These challenges get worse after dark, because marijuana can also limit night vision.