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A spring reminder about distracted driving

Spring weather will arrive, I promise!  The snow is going to melt ( by July is my guess), bulbs come up and trees will bud.  Unfortunately all this will add more reasons for drivers to become distracted.  And just to make driving more challenging, roads are particularly terrible.  Driving right now requires 200% of a driver's attention to avoid the sink holes and pot holes.  Please be alert and considerate, others driver's are also doing maneuvers to dodge road hazards. 

 

Always present distractions include cell phones, radios/cd players, GPS systems, eating & drinking while driving, etc.  Here are just a few statistics.

 

  • About 10% of FATAL crashes involving people under 20 years of age, are caused by distractions
  • About 20% of FATAL crashes involving people 15-19 years of age, are cell phone related 
  • It takes about 4 1/2 seconds to send or read a text message,  going 55mph this can be compared to driving the length of a football field -  blind folded!

 

Please take a minute to speak with friends, family, and young drivers in your life.  I have told friends and family, that if they text or call me and don't get a reply, I am probably behind the wheel.  Stop and think for a minute, what can you really do anyway? You are driving.  If you have a passenger in the car, have them handle the phone for you.  Before touching that device- think quickly about who is trying to communicate with you. The harsh reality is, if you are killed in a crash, they will never talk to you again!  So wait to even look at the message, and if you must look, pull over and stop first.

 

In MA, drivers under 18 are banned from using ANY electronic communication device

In MA, ALL drivers are banned from texting while driving (this includes reading OR sending)

 

For further information you can visit:

http://www.distraction.gov/content/get-the-facts/faq.html

http://www.mass.gov/eopss/crime-prev-personal-sfty/traffic-safety/distracted-driving/

 

Stay safe.


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